Booth&Brennan In Character Happy Ending
by JelloDVDs
Summary: I was really disappointed with the 100th episode so I came up with the most in character way for Booth & Brennan to get together that I could think of. It starts with how they get together and ends with a epilogue about thier thirteen year old daughter
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_Sometime after Angela and Hodgins get married (episode 104)_

She could feel his strong arms wrapped around her whole body like a shield. She could feel his even breath on her neck like a soft wind. She could feel his body all around her like a warm woollen blanket. There was nothing in her world that was not him.

She knew instinctively that they were in danger, but she could not bring herself to feel scared with him so close.

"I will protect you," he whispered in her ear, although she had giving him no outward sign of distress.

"I know you will," she said, with absolute certainty. "I trust you."

She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes, completely content in that moment of belonging. But all moments must come to an end and somewhere deep down she knew it. She knew this wouldn't, couldn't last but she wasn't thinking about the future. She wasn't thinking about anything, except the moment.

Soon, too soon, her happy bubble burst. Her neck started to burn, her head started to throb and her mind started to blur.

_No,_ she thought desperately, _I don't want to leave_. She clung to Booth desperately as her senses started to fail her. She was mad at her body for distracting her with pointless pain. She was mad at her mind for robbing her of the clarity of the moment. She wished for the pain to end so she could focus all her thoughts on him. She wanted nothing more than to stay here in his arms forever, but the pain was too intense. It robbed her of him and continued to consume her until she knew nothing else.

Brennan woke suddenly with a splitting head ache.

_I was just a dream,_ Brennan told herself, though she kept her eyes shut tight as if she wanted to stay in the dream.

_Than why am I sad, s_he asked herself, but received no answer. She had never had a dream like that before and so she surmised that it had just taken her by surprise.

It was only then that she realized she was not in her bed. The ground was hard and cold and she didn't usually wake up with a splitting head ache.

Brennan slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Booth lying beside her, unmoving. A sudden fear griped her. Momentarily forgetting everything else she lifted her arm to check if he was—she couldn't even think it. As her hand moved over to his neck she felt his breath on her arm. He was alive. She let her arm fall back to the floor, and was immediately able to think clearly again. She tried to explain her reactions to herself like she always had, but found that it didn't make sense the way it once had. When she told herself that she was only worried because he was her partner, she realized that if she had been observing someone else behaving the way she had she would have come to a different conclusion.

Brennan distracted herself from her own thoughts by assessing the situation. She checked for her cell phone but it was missing. She tried to stand up to check if Booth's cell phone was also missing but as she tried to get up her head throbbed worse than ever. She decided that getting up could wait and lay back down. Brennan looked around without getting up and saw that she was surrounded by grey cement on all sides.

When the throbbing in Brennan's head started to subside, she got to her feet and checked if Booth had his cell phone; he didn't. After looking around for a few minutes, Brennan decided that they were most likely in a bunker of some kind. She looked for a way out, but found only one entrance and it would not open, no matter how hard she pulled on it. She then thought that if the door was sealed shut the room would be air tight, which meant that she and Booth had a limited amount of oxygen left. She started walking around the room, trying to determine the dimensions of the room in order to estimate how much oxygen the room could hold. As Brennan was working out how much time they had before they suffocated, Booth regained consciousness.

"Oh my head," Booth said as he began to get up.

"If you try and get up your headache will get worse." Brennan said and Booth, trusting her judgement, lay back down on the cement.

"Where are we?" he asked

"A cement bunker of some kind, I think," said Brennan.

"Do you know how long I've been unconscious?"

"No," Brennan admitted, "but we have bigger problems. We have less then twenty-four hours of air left and I can't open the door."

"How did you figure that out?" Booth said, stunned.

"That was the easy part," Brennan said simply, but elaborated when Booth's confused expression did not fade. "Once I realized the bunker was air tight, I loosely measured the dimensions of the room with my feet, and from that I was able to gage the approximate volume of the room. Once I had the volume it was easy to calculate the amount of oxygen per square meter. Then I was able to determine that two people with that much air would last 24 hours and since we have been unconscious for an unknown amount of time, the most precise I can be is that we have less than 24 hours until we suffocate. Oh, and we have no food or water."

"Me and you have very different ideas about what 'easy' is, Bones," Booth said with a marvelling air, and then after further thought added, "You were unconscious?"

"Yes," Brennan said, "I woke up a few minutes ago with a pounding headache, that's how I knew your headache would get worse if you got up."

"Oh," Booth said. He did not know why, but the fact that Brennan woke up before him irked him. Though he knew Brennan was tough somewhere inside him was a man who wanted to be able to be a man around Brennan. He knew why he wanted to impress Brennan, but he also knew that it would never work. So he gave up on his masculine pride and asked Brennan if there was anything else he should know.

"I have a sore spot on the back of my neck," Brennan said. After a moment of thought she added, "Tell me what it looks like," and turned around and showed Booth the two tiny red dotes on the back of her neck. Booth sat up to look at Brennan's neck, holding his head.

"It looks like the marks made by a stun gun," Booth said.

"That fits with my theory," Brennan said.

"You have formed a theory before all the evidence is in. Who are you and what have you done with my partner," Booth said with humour.

"I don't know what that means but I only have a theory because the situation demands it," Brennan said and after a pause added, "And I have been spending too much time around you."

"It's a joke Bones," Booth said smiling, "about alien abduction."

When Brennan didn't react to his witty response, Booth asked her to explain her theory.

"You remember the grave digger, right?" Brennan said.

"Of course I do. I am not likely to forget someone who buries people alive, especially if those people include me, you and hogdins."

"There's this case I have been working on for the last few weeks about someone trying to copy the grave digger. They may have been communicating with her but it is highly unlikely. This impersonator is much too sloppy to be taught by the real grave digger. They probably just read the book on her."

"He did manage to get us, though," Booth said.

Brennan gave Booth a look that he interpreted as: _Don't remind me_, and continued with her explanation.

"No one has died yet so our people didn't have much evidence to work with. Cam told me to look it over but not to make it my top priority."

"Let me guess," Booth said, "you made it your top priority.

"Yes," Brennan said proudly.

Booth gestured for Brennan to go on.

"I found some inconsistencies," Brennan said, "and gave my results to Cam."

"So you think the grave digger impersonator figured out you were on to him by getting his hands on your report and is trying to stop you first," Booth summarized.

"Yes, if you simplify it," Brennan said, disgruntled.

"Okay so why am I here then?" Booth asked as if trying to see how many theories Brennan could come up with.

"I haven't really figured that part out yet," Brennan admitted. "The only reason I can think of is that you were with me when he grabbed me."

"So what you're saying is that I am not worth kidnapping," Booth said trying to imply that she had insulted him, but Brennan had no idea what Booth was talking about and so she simply ignored him.

Brennan then went around Booth to look at his neck. She found the same little red dotes on the back of his neck that were on hers and came up with another theory.

"The attacker could of stunned me first and then been forced to stun you when you came looking for me," Brennan said. "That would explains both why you are here and why I woke up first. What else don't we know: who the impersonator is? Is that all?"

"I don't know why you were working a grave digger case without me?" Booth said.

"A grace digger _impersonator_ case and there was no body so it was not an FBI matter. I didn't think that it concerned you," Brennan said, then gesturing to Booth and the bunker added, "I guess I was wrong."

There was nothing work-related left to talk about, so Brennan couldn't prevent her mind from slipping back to those things she didn't want to think about. Her mind wondered back to her dream. In the dream her neck and head had been hurting and when she had woken up her neck and head had once again been hurting. She couldn't help wondering if anything else from her dream was also—she stopped her train of thought before it could show on her face.

Brennan was silent long enough for Booth to start worrying.

"Our friends will find us, Bones," Booth said, misreading Brennan's silence.

"They always have in the past," Brennan said, not really paying attention.

Now Booth was confused as well as worried. He had thought that Brennan's strange silence meant that she was scared of suffocating, but her response had told him otherwise. He settled for just stating the fact that worried him and letting her explain it. "You're not usually this quiet."

"I was just thinking," Brennan said, quietly. She was trying to control her thoughts in an effort to prevent her emotions from leaking though onto her face. As far as she could remember she had always done this. She did not like to let people know what she was feeling. But since Booth's coma it had been getting steadily harder to control her thoughts around him.

Brennan moved away from Booth in order to hide from his keen skills at reading body language. She wanted to be able to think without having to control her every action.

Booth and Brennan started looking for ways out of the bunker after their conversation had got awkward. Booth did not know why their conversation had gotten awkward, because they had had many personal conversations over the years that had been more personal but not nearly that awkward, though some had been close. Booth got the distinct impression that Brennan didn't want him to know what she was thinking. He knew that things would be different since he had taken Sweet's advice and told Brennan he believed in giving them a change. But he had not thought that it would be awkward for Brennan, just for him. This evidence that Brennan was not telling him everything made Booth wonder if what she had told him on that walk had been that whole truth. Of course he knew that Brennan would never lie to him out right, but he was starting to wonder if maybe she had not known something then that she was only now becoming aware of. Now Brennan was not the only one thinking.

Upon further investigation, Booth found that the door was in fact welded shut and Brennan found some rope and a tarp in the corner, but the rest of the bunker appeared to be empty.

Brennan was thinking things over while she was looking for clues, something that she never did. The only reason she could come up with for her sudden need to mull things over was that she was not sure what she wanted. She was remembering the day that Booth had told her outright that he wanted to be with her and she had turned him down. At the time she had thought she was doing the right thing for Booth, but she was not so sure anymore. Even after she had hurt him so badly Booth still seemed to want her—though he hid it very well—and she couldn't understand it. She knew he deserved better and cared enough about him to want him to find better, but when she saw him with other women something in her wanted to cause them serious injury and she did not know why. She had never had violent feelings over a guy before, let alone one she wasn't even dating. She found it perplexing. She wondered if maybe she had been lying to herself all this time or if it was their sudden life-threatening situation that made her so unsure.

When Brennan found something she worked on controlling her features before calling Booth over.

"Hey, Booth. Over here!" Booth heard Brennan call from a dark corner of the bunker.

Booth walked over to where Brennan was holding a small object that looked like it had been stepped on. He watched her face to see if he could see what had been bothering her earlier but found her face completely blank, too blank. It was then that he knew she was hiding something.

When Booth got to Brennan's position, she handed the object to him.

"It's a cell phone, but it's badly damaged," Booth said, as he touched the screen to see if it had power. The light came on though it was distorted. Brennan leaned over Booth's shoulder to get a better look.

"There's no service, which is probably due to the fact that we are surrounded on all side by cement," Brennan said, disappointed that they couldn't just call for help. "Since both of us are missing our cell phones, it must have been left by whoever locked us in this bunker."

Booth was suddenly very aware that Brennan was just inches from him. He had to turn around and look at her in order to keep his mind from going places that were hardly appropriate considering the circumstances.

"How do you know I am missing my cell phone?" Booth asked to distract himself.

"I checked, while you were unconscious," Brennan said, "It seemed prudent."

"Oh," Booth said, still distracted.

In order to distract himself from his own desires, Booth decided he needed to take a better look at that cell phone. Booth walked a few steps away from Brennan and started to look though the files on the phone to discern whose cell phone it was. It only took Booth a few minutes to deduce that the cell phone was useless. The over-whelming feeling of Brennan's closeness had passed, so he handed the phone back to Brennan.

"There's nothing there. Not even a list of contacts. It looks like our impersonator is still anonymous," Booth said.

Brennan continued to look for clues or at least pretend to look for clues. She was amazed at how little she cared about the case. She was too wound up in her own thoughts and feelings. The attraction that had flooded between her and Booth was not new to her—Brennan had always known that she was attracted to him—but it had changed. It felt more like need now. Its sudden strength baffled her. They had been physically closer than that before and never experienced anything like that. Why was this happening now? The only answer she could come up with was that something had changed, but she could not think of what the change was.

She was not used to having to think so hard about anything and found it very disconcerting that she needed to now. She was still thinking about everything else but now she was also thinking about what Sweets had told her a few days ago, when Brennan had come to talk to Sweets about Booths obvious and irrational interest in her.

_"I am worried that he is not moving on like he should," Brennan remembered saying to Sweets. "He seems to be more interested in who I am dating than who he is dating."_

_"And you are obviously more interested in who he is dating than who you are dating," Sweets said, throwing her own words back at her like any good therapist. "So I take it that Booth didn't follow my advice, then."_

_"What makes you say that?"_

_"Well, I figured that if he did then you two would finally be together."_

_"Interesting conclusion, but you are quite wrong," Brennan said. "Booth did follow your advice. I was the one that stopped it. That's why I came here today. I want you to tell me what to do to help Booth move on."_

_"There's nothing you can do," Sweets had said with the air of explaining simple algebra to a third year university student. "He has been in love with you since before I started working with the both of you and you're the only one that doesn't seem to see it." Brennan didn't remember consciously doing anything but something she did prompted Sweets to continue._

_"Unless you do," Sweets had said with an almost euphoric air, like he had discovered the meaning of life or something. "What is holding you back Brennan? What are you afraid of?"_

_"I am not afraid of anything."_

_"Yes, you are. It is written all over your face."_

_"You're wrong," Brennan had said as she turned to leave._

_"Whatever it is, it's not worth it," Sweets had called to her retreating back._

_Wasn't worth it._ Did her fears mean so little? After that talk with Sweets Brennan had worked very hard to keep herself from falling apart on the way home. She remembers telling herself that Sweets was wrong over and over again, but it hadn't worked. She had tried telling herself that it wasn't fear holding her back, but she found it hard to believe. When she had got home that night, she had cried. Why had she cried? She didn't know. And now she had that stupid dream to try and rationalize too. Every day it seemed to get harder to explain to herself exactly what was going on. Brennan didn't want to be venerable but she was starting to think that it was already too late. Maybe Sweets had been right and their kiss on that walk had broken the metaphorical dam.

"Bones, you okay," Booth asked.

"Hmm, what?" Brennan said.

"You've been staring at that piece of wall for the last ten minutes," Booth said, coming over to see if Brennan was okay.

"It's nothing," Brennan said, absent-mindedly, "I was just thinking."

"You've been thinking a lot lately," Booth said, worried. Booth was thinking about what Brennan was worried about, for he could tell she was worried about something even if she wouldn't admit it. He knew it wasn't fear of dying that kept her so quite, but he could not think anything else.

"What's got you so worried?" Booth asked, but Brennan did not respond. She didn't even know if she wanted him to know, let alone how to explain it to him.

Booth stayed quiet, though his worry for her had doubled. She had never been this secretive with him before. He knew he loved her, but if anything this made things more complicated. She didn't want him and no matter how much time passed that fact never seemed to stop hurting. He had known he loved her since he had come out of his coma, but looking back on it he had realized he had been in love with her for much longer than that. Now that he knew how much he needed her, he found it almost physically painful to be so close to her, and not be able to hold her. But he could not leave; he needed her in his life. He knew that if he just cut her out of his life it would hurt worse than if he had to see her every day as just a friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Booth let Brennan think in silence until he could no longer stand the distance between them.

"Bones, please tell me what is wrong," Booth pleaded.

Brennan was speechless. She was feeling so many things and all at the same time. It was just starting to dawn on her that she had been feeling these things from the beginning. She was only now realizing that she had always had them. It was just that up until now she had rationalized what she could and repressed what she couldn't rationalize. This sudden realization hit her with so much force that it knocked the wind out of her. She suddenly knew how Booth has been feeling, and she didn't want him to hurt anymore. She decided right then that even if they died she wanted Booth to know everything. She wanted him to make the decision that was best for him, no matter the cost for her.

"Bones," Booth said, he reached out as if to steady her but thought better of it.

Immediately Brennan was overwhelmed with guilt. She knew she did not deserve him but she wanted him so badly. But would he even take her now after she had hurt him so.

"I am so sorry, Booth," Brennan said, as unshed tears filled her eyes.

Brennan started to collapsed and Booth, unable to let her fall, caught her. She was in his arms.

"For what," Booth said, trying to steady her. Brennan looked up at him though her tear-filled eyes.

"For not letting you in, for not trusting you enough to tell you the truth when I should have." Then after a pause, Brennan added, "For everything"

"You're not making any sense, Bones. Is the lack of oxygen getting to you or do you have some substance abuse problems I am not aware of." Booth was trying to joke, but he was starting to freak out. If this was going where he thought it was going, it was going to hurt.

Brennan got up and turned to face Booth before she spoke again, though she spoke to his knees.

"I should have told you," Brennan said, and as she said it she realized it was the complete truth, "I should have told you that I wanted to be with you too. I should have told you that I have never cared this much for anyone in my life. I should have told you that there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. I should have told you the truth even if it hurt me." Brennan raised her head to look Booth in the eyes as she said, "You deserve better, and I am sorry for that."

As Brennan had been speaking, Booth's face had gone from disbelief, to fear, to joy and back again.

Brennan was really scared now. She was more worried about what may happen next then she was of suffocating. She knew it was irrational, for losing Booth must surely be preferable to a slow death by suffocation. But she could not help it.

Booth could hardly believe it. Aside from the impending chance of them slowly suffocating to death, it suddenly felt like he had everything he had ever wanted. For so long he had thought that she had not needed him the way he needed her, and now the fact that she had lied—even to herself—to try and save herself from heart break seemed like the best thing in the world. It even made sense. How long had he known her? He should have realized.

Booth thanked his lucky stars that he was between girlfriends as he leaned toward Brennan and kissed her, before she had time to think of a reason to stop him. Before she had time to think at all. Brennan couldn't bring herself to stop Booth, for she did not have it in her to deprive herself of him anymore. If they were going to die anyway then it didn't matter. And she knew that the chance of them being rescued was minimal for as good as her team was they had no body, and their two main investigators were locked in a cement bunker. So she let herself believe that they were going to die and stopped thinking about the future she feared and just lived in the moment with the man she loved.

Booth and Brennan woke up naked and under a tarp several hours later.

"So," Booth said as he looked down at Brennan lying on his chest, "That was the best half night's sleep I've ever had."

"We were sleeping on a concrete floor, under a thin plastic tarp, how could you have possibly slept well."

"Nothing could spoil my mood right now, Bones, not even sleeping on cold, hard cement," Booth said and then after a moment of deep thought added, "Should I still call you Bones or should I call you Tempe now?"

"Bones please, it doesn't quite feel right for you to calling me Tempe."

"Does this feel right?" Booth said as he held her closer to him.

"Yes," Brennan sighed.

They lay there in silence for a while, neither one of them wanting to end the moment. Booth's curiosity eventually got the better of him.

"Was there anything else that stopped you from telling me besides ... trying to save yourself heart break," Booth whispered. He wanted to know but he was also scared that he didn't want to know.

"Yeah, there was," Brennan said to Booth's chest, for she could not look him in the eyes. "I didn't realize it until now, but I was scared that being with you would eventually lead to losing what we already had. I loved the way our relationship was. I loved seeing you every day and laughing with you. I loved solving murders with you and going to the diner with you after solving a case. I was too scared of losing that to risk it, even if I had to suffer though watching you move on and having to move on myself."

Booth thought about what Brennan had said for so long that Brennan started to worry. When he finally spoke it was with a sense of understanding.

"You know that kind of makes sense," Booth said. "I did notice that you always tried to get closer to me without really getting any closer. It was very confusing, because I knew that we weren't together though sometimes it felt like we were. You would ask me instead of other people that it made more sense for you to ask. Then you would rationalize it until I thought of it as just another thing we did together."

As Brennan heard how transparent her behaviour had been to everyone but herself, she started to look at her past behaviour though Booth's eyes. She started making a list in her head of all the times she had rationalized what she wanted from Booth and found that there were more of them then she had thought. She remembered rationalizing all of them to herself though at the time it hadn't seemed like she was rationalizing anything.

After a moment of silent thought Brennan remembered the other reason for her sudden confession.

"And once I realized everything," Brennan said, again to Booth's chest, "I thought that you had a right to know. I couldn't stand you being so sad anymore. I wanted you to make the best decision for you no matter how it affected me."

Booth didn't answer right away. He found himself in awe of the women in his arms, he knew that she cared about him, but he had had no idea how much until now. He remembered what she said about him deserving better and was suddenly concerned that she did not see things the way he did.

"And why did you say that I deserved better?" Booth said after they had both finished thinking.

"Because you do. You are so open hearted, and I am cold and clinical. That has not changed since our walk from Sweet's office." Brennan paused to get up the courage to say what she believed he needed to hear, "I think you deserve to be with someone that would love you better than me."

Booth heard what she said but did not believe a word of it, for as Brennan had been speaking she had held him closer.

"I sort of agreed with you before, but not now," Booth said kindly, "Temperance, you just confessed to caring more about my happiness than your own. I'd say that is very open hearted. You don't always show your emotions, Tempe, but they are there. I have always known that. You are a more caring person than you give yourself credit for. And I love you all the more for it," Booth said all this so earnestly, that Brennan found it hard not to believe that he believed it completely. She found this more astonishing than the fact that he loved her. Brennan had never heard him say that he loved her in so many words before but by now she knew that he did. It still felt strange to hear him say it out loud though. She was surprised to find that part of her liked it.

"I told you not to call me Tempe. Bones works fine," Brennan said, trying to avoid the subject of her 'open-heartedness.'

"But it feels weird to call you Bones now," Booth said looking at her instead of the ceiling.

"Oh fine then, call me whatever you want," Brennan said in an exasperated way, still not looking at Booth. "It seems like whenever I get used to a nickname you change it."

Booth laughed at this. She had not seen him this happy since before his coma, and wondered if it was because of her. She knew that she was happier now, but a part of her happiness is that she didn't have to think about the future if they were going to die together in this bunker. Even though she knew it didn't matter she found that she wanted to know anyway.

"Is it me?" Brennan asked, now looking directly at Booth in order to gage his reaction. "Am I the reason why you seem so different or is it the fact that we are going to suffocate within the next fifteen hours?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Booth said, but when Brennan continued to look unenlightened he added, "Of course it's you, Tempe. It feels like I have been waiting for you forever and now here you are, in my arms. I could fly if you wanted me to."

Booth was happier than he had been in months, but he thought Brennan having to ask him that was a bad sign.

"Booth, romantic fulfilment doesn't lead to independent flight. If it did then humans would have taken to the skies centuries earlier."

"Tempe, it is a saying. Not a statement of fact." Booth's words sounded offensive but his tones sounded loving.

After a long pause Brennan said, "It's not realistic, you know: the forever part. Nothing can last forever. Not even the universe. Eventually it will fall back in on itself."

Booth then realized that she thought this was of the moment and he knew that he had to make her see how wrong she was.

Booth held Brennan's face in his hands as he spoke next.

"This will last forever, Temperance."

"You can't know that," Brennan said with a hint of hysteria in her voice though it was too faint for Booth to notice. He just thought she was being literal like usual. Brennan had never opened up this much to anyone before, and it scared her silly.

"Yes, it can," Booth said, in such a confident way that Brennan almost believed him. Then he added with a smile on his face, "I can feel it in my bones."

"Emotions leave no mark on the bones," Brennan said in monotone, for her mind was otherwise engaged. Booth just smiled at her, until she figured it out.

"That's not meant literally is it," Brennan finally said, when Booth just continued to smile at her.

Booth nodded.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Booth and Brennan just lay together in comfortable silence after that, though both were deep in thought.

Booth had thought that when they got out of this bunker he and Brennan would be together, but now he was worried that she was not thinking along the same lines. He was particularly worried about her thinking that she wasn't good enough for him and the strange way she had acted when he had talked of forever. It was almost like she didn't want to be parted from him, but knew she would be. He could not understand what she could possibly be thinking to lead her to that conclusion. He was also worried about their jobs, though he was more worried about what Brennan was thinking. What if the FBI would not let them work together if they were dating? He had thought that their job was not a real reason to stay apart, but now that Brennan was warm in his arms he was a little worried about what effect a romantic relationship would have on their partnership. Though Booth was worried, his strongest emotion at the moment was happiness; unlike Brennan, who was mostly anxious.

Brennan was worried about so many things that she could not handle them, so she buried them, like she had so many times before. She showed no outward signs of distress and after a while Booth dismissed his worries, though he did not forget them.

"We should probably keep working the case," Booth said to Brennan.

"We have nothing left to do," Brennan said. "We looked though the whole bunker and found nothing useful. What else can we do?"

"Are you giving up?" Booth asked, in a fake shocked voice, for he knew Brennan was not the type to give up.

"No, I just don't see the point in wasting what little time we have left."

"Wow, Bones, are you getting sentimental or is it just the situation," Booth said with humour, but Brennan didn't laugh.

"I don't know what you mean," she said.

Booth sighed. She really didn't see herself very clearly. She was being romantic and she didn't even know it.

When Booth failed to answer her question, Brennan decided to continue with their conversation.

"So what do you think we should do to try and get rescued?"

"I don't know but I do know that we have to do something," Booth said, and got up to look for his clothes. When Booth got up Brennan decided she, too, should find her clothes. While they were getting dressed, they continued to talk.

"There's nothing left for us do, Booth," Brennan said. "We have exhausted all our avenues of investigation."

"Do you really believe that or are you feeling suicidal?"

"Alright fine, what do you propose we do?" Brennan said. She didn't want Booth to know about her reluctance to think about the future and being rescued, so she decided to play along until he came to the same conclusion she had.

"I think we should take another look at that cell phone," Booth said, remembering how distracted he was the first time he had looked at it.

"Fine," Brennan said and went though her pockets until she found the phone. She handed it to Booth and sat down on the floor to wait for him to discover there was nothing on the phone. Once Brennan had sat down, Booth sat down beside her and put his arm around her, without thinking about it. Then he started to look through the phone again.

Brennan was happy to let Booth hold her though it amazed her that he did it so unconsciously. It was almost like he had been consciously stopping himself from doing those little couple things all this time and now he had just stopped.

Booth could find nothing useful on the phone and was starting to think that they might die here together, when he heard a sound coming from the welded-shut door into the bunker.

"Did you hear that," Booth said to Brennan as he got up.

"Yes," Brennan said sadly though Booth was too caught up with being rescued to pay much attention.

Booth went over to the door and started yelling to whoever was on the other side, while Brennan stayed sitting on the floor.

"Yelling at them will not make the door open faster," Brennan said.

"I know but it will at least tell whoever is out there that we are in here."

Brennan could see Booths point so she got up and went to join him at the door.

"We're in here," Booth was yelling at the door over and over, when Brennan can over to him.

"We'll … out … jiffy," came a muffled voice from behind the door.

About a half hour later—though it felt like days to Booth and Brennan—Cam came through the door with a group of what looked like welders. When Booth saw Cam he gave her a big hug and ran out into the open air like a crazy man.

"What's wrong with him?" Cam asked as Booth ran past her, "He's usually so calm in a crisis."

"I wouldn't know," Brennan replied, as she stared at Booth with an odd expression on her face that told Cam Brennan wasn't being entirely truthful. Cam decided it was none of her business, and let it go.

Everyone got into the rescue cars and drove back home. As they were driving they talked.

"How did you find us?" Booth asked though he didn't really care; he was too busy trying to meet Brennan's eyes. He wanted to know what all of this meant for them, but Brennan would not even meet his gaze. She had not looked at him since they had heard Cam on the other side of the bunker door.

"Once we realized you were gone we went to the place you disappeared and found tire tracks. We were able to trace those tracks to a wealthy family that collects vintage cars. They said that they lease out their cars on a regular basis, and gave us documents to prove it. They were, however, able to give us the list of names of the people who had leased a car from then during the last week. We did background checks on everyone on the list and had Sweets do a psych profile on them all. We then started at the top of Sweets' list and worked our way down." Cam said with an air of smugness, for she had been completely in charge of this case and it had gone perfectly.

"Okay that's how you caught the bad guy but how did you find us?" Booth said.

"That was the easiest part actually," Cam said, "This grave digger impersonator was really sloppy. He left his cell phone with you in the bunker so as soon as we knew who he was we were able to use its GPS coordinates to find you."

Upon hearing this, Booth and Brennan felt very stupid. They had totally forgotten that working cell phones had GPS trackers. They had been too wound up in their own personal issues to realize how easy it would be for their friends to find them.

"We found the phone in the bunker," Booth said, "we should have realized.

"It is pretty hard to think clearly when you're locked in an air tight bunker, Booth," Cam said with compassion.

"Do you know what kind of Bunker we were locked in?" asked Brennan, though she didn't really care; she was too busy trying to avoid Booth's gaze.

"Yes," Cam said. "It was built during the cold war, to be used as a bomb shelter."

The more Brennan refused to look at him the more Booth worried about the fact that Brennan wouldn't look at him. He was starting to wonder, from the look on her face, if she had actually thought they were going to be rescued at all. He remembered how she had changed the subject when he had joked about her being suicidal. It had worried him then but not as much as it was worrying him now. He decided to give her space, at least for the time being—for he knew from experience how stubborn Brennan could be—though he did promise himself that they would talk about this someday soon. He just hoped that she would be ready to talk before the suspense was too much for him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Brennan continued to avoid talking about anything not work-related with Booth for weeks after their rescue from the bunker, though she stopped avoiding his gaze within a few days. Booth was trying to keep the promise he had make to himself, but was finding it harder every day. If Brennan didn't come and talk to him soon, he thought he was going to go crazy. He was trapped between wanting to give her the space she seemed to want and wanting to know what the hell was going on.

Brennan was completely confused. She had been having dreams in which she and Booth were together every night since the Bunker and found it very disconcerting having to separate fact from fiction whenever she saw Booth. Sometimes the dreams were just doing normal things like sitting on the coach together or eating breakfast together, but other times they were in life threatening situations like in that first dream. The part that Brennan found weird was that in the dream she never knew what the life-threatening situation was.

Booth had not called Brennan Bones since the bunker and everyone had noticed, though they said nothing about it. Booth had been calling her Brennan or Temperance instead of Bones. Sometimes he even called her Tempe though not in front of anyone else, for they had not told their friends about what had happened in the bunker. Even so their friends had noticed something was different.

"What is wrong?" Angela asked Brennan one day while they were both in Angela's office.

"Nothing," Brennan replied, too quickly and in a slightly higher voice than usual. "Why would anything be wrong?"

"I know you, Sweetie," Angela said. "And something is wrong. You've been acting weird ever since you and Booth got out of that bunker."

"I have?" Brennan said, truly surprised for she had been trying very hard—perhaps too hard—to act normally.

Angela nodded and continued. "You haven't been arguing with Booth like you usually do. You have been talking about the cases and nothing else. You have been avoiding field work, but sometimes I think you are just doing it to avoid Booth. The last time you acted like this was when Zach went to Iraq."

"Zach isn't here," Brennan said numbly.

"Yes Sweetie, but Booth is and I always thought that you acted weird then because Hodgins and I had left you and Booth standing at the altar. So I have to assume that something happened between you and Booth in that bunker that you are not telling me."

"I told everyone that it was because Zach was gone and no other reason. Why doesn't anyone believe me?" Brennan said ignoring Angela's last statement.

"Because we know you, Sweetie. We know underneath that cool scientist is a very emotional woman. "

"How is it that you know me so well?"

"I just do," Angela said as she smiled lovingly at her friend.

When Brennan didn't answer, Angela decided that she needed more prompting.

"Did he break your heart?"

"No, it was the other way around. I broke his."

"What do you mean?" Angela prompted, but Brennan didn't elaborate so Angela said, "I can't help you unless you tell me what is wrong."

After a pause that seemed to Angela to be full of self-disgust, Brennan continued in a defeated voice. "I caved," she said, "I let down all my barriers. I let him know how much I cared about him and it felt wonderful, but then we were rescued and it was like the fantasy was broken."

"Did you … you know?" Angela said in such a manner as to betray her meaning.

"If you mean sex, then yes."

"In a cold cement bunker?"

"Well, after I told Booth how I felt he kind of jumped me before I had a chance to think," Brennan said and then after some thought added, "and I found that I didn't want to stop him."

"Well, of course not. I mean he is hot," Angela said smiling so Brennan decided to categorize it as a joke. "Well what went wrong then?" Angela said in a much more serious voice.

"I can't look at him the same now. I can't be around him and not feel..." Brennan found that she couldn't continue; for once words had failed her.

"But that's how it's supposed to work, Sweetie. I never looked at Hodgins the same after we first got together."

"How did you work with him every day?"

"I am not really sure. It was hard at first. It just got easier," Angela said, "and now it is beyond easy."

"That's only because you guys went and eloped without telling anyone," Brennan said. "You got your happy ending."

"Why can't you get your happy ending too?"

"No two relationships play out the exact same way, Ang," Brennan said "because no two humans are the same, and therefore no two humans could have the same relationship. It's not logical to get into a relationship with someone that has such a potential for disaster," Brennan said.

"Sweetie any relationship with the potential for disaster also has the potential to be the best this that ever happened to you. Just look at me and Jack," Angela said, "and no matter what anyone else says: love is never logical."

"That's why I decided not to do it."

"You can't decide not to fall in love. It doesn't work like that."

"What do you think I should do then?" Brennan asked.

"Well, have you talked to Booth about it?"

"No."

"That's what I would do," Angela said. "It took being locked in a jail cell for me and Jack to communication. All we had to do was admit we regretted breaking up and everything else kind of fell into place. You used to tell Booth everything, why stop now, especially now that it concerns him, too."

"Communication," Brennan said. "Okay I think I can do that. Thanks Ang."

Brennan then left Angela's office and went to find Booth. She figured she should just get this over with as soon as possible.

Booth had not been handling Brennan avoiding him very well and everyone had noticed. Cam had noticed how easily angered Booth was now. Angela had noticed how different he was around Brennan and suspected that Booth was seeing her in a whole new way. Hodgins saw his own behaviour in Booth's, for he had acted in a similar way when things with him and Angela were bad. Rebecca had noticed how much more time Booth was spending with Parker and thought that maybe Booth needed the distraction. Parker noticed that though his father was spending more time with him, his mind was never completely there. Of course Sweets had been observing Booth and Brennan's behaviour since he had first met them, so he knew something was different as soon as he saw then come out of that bunker. He had been waiting for the right opportunity to talk to both of them but found that Brennan had not stayed in the same room with him long enough for him to get out two words, that were not work related, let alone talk about her feelings. He suspected that Brennan's absence was of her own devising, but knew that would not help him in the slightest, so he focused on Booth.

"Why haven't you got the profile done yet," Booth yelled at Sweets. "I need to compare it to the profiles of the other disgruntled employees, in order to find out which one of them is most likely the murderer."

"Booth, why are you yelling at me?" Sweets said in his calmest shrink voice.

"Because you are being slow and I have a killer to catch."

"That's not it and we both know it," Sweets said boldly. "You and Brennan are having some kind of fight aren't you?"

"How — " Booth started to say but found he didn't care.

"She won't talk to me!" he yelled in desperation now, and not anger.

"Why won't she talk to you?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do," Sweets said trying to get Booth to look at the situation from a different angle.

Booth thought about that for a while. He thought about what she had said down in that bunker and he thought about what he had said and how Brennan could have misinterpreted it. He thought for so long that Sweets started to worry.

"Booth?" Sweets said as he waved his hand in front of Booth's face.

"She's scared," Booth said in a small voice. Then to Sweets' astonishment Booth gave Sweets a big hug and ran out of the room so fast Sweets could only stare.

While Booth was having his Sweets-inspired epiphany Brennan was still looking for Booth to put into action her Angela-inspired decision. They finally found each other when they both went to the diner looking for the other.

"There you are," Booth said when he say Brennan enter the dinner.

Brennan just looked at Booth. She was trying to think of how to start, but Booth beat her to it.

"Let's get a table," he said. He didn't want to talk to her while they were just standing around staring at each other.

Brennan sat down at their usual table and Booth joined her.

After a long silence Booth and Brennan both started talking at the same time and then stopped as soon as they realized that the other was talking.

"You go first," Brennan said, because she still didn't know what to say.

"You were scared," Booth said softly, "of the fall out. Of what would happen after." Brennan only nodded.

"I didn't realize that at the time," Booth said. "I only just put two and two together."

"But I told you that, back in the Bunker," Brennan said.

"No. You said that you should have told me even if it hurt you. It's different."

"How is it different?"

"You made it sound like you were protecting yourself from heart break but you were done now, when really you thought that since you were going to die, it didn't matter what you said."

"It wasn't just that. I also thought that you deserved to know before you died."

"Why just before I died, Temperance?"

"Because I know that if it went wrong it would go really wrong."

"What if it doesn't go wrong?"

"That is unlikely."

"But not impossible. Why don't you want to give us a try?"

"Because it will hurt too much when I lose you," Brennan whispered while not looking at Booth directly.

Booth put his hand under Brennan's chin as he had done once before, and looked her in the eyes as he said earnestly, "You will never lose me."

"You can't promise that."

"Yes, I can," Booth said with so much certainly that Brennan almost believed him. Her heart wanted to believe, but her head knew better.

"Nothing in the world is constant, Booth. Nothing. Even the sun will burn itself out eventually."

"But it will last for over five billion years. I'd say that's as close to constant as a mortal being can get," Booth said, playing along.

Brennan had to laugh at Booth's statement and once she started laughing Booth joined in. Both of them welcomed the change from serious conversation.

"That wasn't even funny," Brennan said when they had both finally stopped laughing.

"Yeah, I know," Booth said still half laughing, then added soberly, "Why did I get the impression that you didn't want to be rescued when we were in the bunker?"

"I didn't want to think about what would happen if we didn't die, so I buried my feelings and lived in the moment."

"I'm guessing that you've never had to do that before."

"When did you come to know me so well?" Brennan said, answering Booth's question without really answering it. "I don't remember when this all happened. I remember when you were just my friend and I remember when you were more, but I don't remember when or how that changed."

"I don't either," Booth said softly, "but I know all I need to know. I know how I felt then and I know how I feel now. I know that it hurts when I'm away from you almost as much as it hurts to be around you but not be with you. I know that when I look at you the world stands still."

"I know that I want to be with you," Brennan said, feeling that she owed Booth the truth since he had told her the truth. "I know that it will be wonderful in the beginning, but I also know that one day when we fall apart my world will break and I don't think that I can survive that."

"But what about the wonderful part? Why can't we at least have that?"

"Because it is too big a sacrifice to make. I don't want to lose my best friend just to have a little fun."

"We will always be friends, Temperance. No matter what."

"Really? Even if it turns out that all we do is fight?"

"Yes."

"Even if we can't stand to be around each other after only a few weeks?"

"Yes."

"Even if the novelty wears off after a few years and we start driving each other crazy?"

"Yes."

"Even if I cheat on you?"

"Yes, though I would be very upset," Booth said with a joking air, for he didn't believe that Brennan would ever cheat on him.

"Even if we have no chemistry?" Brennan said

At this Booth laughed so hard the people at the next table looked at him like he might be crazy.

"If we have no chemistry," Booth said, still smiling, "than the sky isn't blue."

"That is actually true. Technically the sky is clear. It is only the concave shape of the earth's surface that reflects the light in such a way as to make the sky appear blue. The same principal applies to people with blue eyes. They actually have clear eyes; it's the round shape of the eye that makes it look blue."

While Brennan talked, Booth smiled at her. He was so glad that they were finally talking that he could have listened to her go on for hours.

"What are you thinking?" Brennan asked Booth once she noticed him starting at her.

"Nothing, just smiling," Booth said, and then added with absolute sincerity "So are we going to give this a try?"

"I don't want it to affect our partnership. I want to know that no matter what happened we will still be partners."

"I can't speak for you, but I will always want to be your partner."

"And our job? Will our bosses allow us to work together and have intercourse?"

"Why don't you call it 'date' and the only way we can find out is if we ask."

"We could ask them without telling them that we already had sex so that if we're not allowed to date, they won't separate us," Brennan said.

"Or," Booth said, "we could keep it a secret."

"The chance of keeping this quiet is very minimal," Brennan argued. "I have to talk to Angela about it or she will be mad, though I'm not sure why. If she tells even one person there will be gossip. And if our bosses find out that way we will be split up for sure."

"And I bet Sweets will figure it out just by looking at us," Booth said disgruntled. "You know sometimes his observation skills are really annoying."

"Sometimes your uncanny ability to read body language is also really annoying," Brennan said, smiling.

"Ha ha ha," Booth said. "Very funny."

"I thought it was humorous."

"Okay so back on topic, we ask our bosses," Booth said.

"We ask," Brennan replied.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The next day Booth and Brennan went into the director of the FBI's office. They were both nervous, though to look at Brennan you wouldn't think she was.

"What do you want," Booth's Boss,—let's call him Joe—said.

"To ask you a question," Brennan said before Booth got up the nerve to speak. Booth was more worried for his job then Brennan was because he knew her skills were high in demand whereas there were many other FBI agents that could replace him.

"Shoot," Joe said.

Brennan opened her mouth to say that she didn't have a gun but Booth elbowed her and she realized he was not being literal.

Joe had noticed Booth's elbowing and found it confusing but he had been their boss long enough to know that Booth and Brennan did not have a normal relationship, so he let it go.

"We would like to know if we are allowed to date and still stay partners," Brennan said frankly to Joe.

Joe noticed that Brennan looked at Booth as she said 'date' as if for confirmation and found that he didn't want to know why.

"So you haven't been dating all this time?" Joe asked. He and his friends at the FBI had been taking bets on whether or not Booth and Brennan had been dating and it looked like he was going to lose.

"No sir," Booth said, speaking for the first time since entering Joe's office.

"Well, it would be an awful shame to break up the best crime solving team I have ever seen," Joe said, "I think my boss would fire me for even suggesting it. Do you have any idea how good your success makes us look?"

Brennan opened her mouth and was half-way though the first word of a sentence to explain to Booth's boss that she had no idea what the FBI thought of her and Booth's success before Booth leaned other and whispered "rhetorical" in her ear.

Joe heard Booth's whisper and burst out laughing.

"She was about to answer my question wasn't she?" he said, still half laughing. "You know Booth I really don't know how you work with her."

"You get used to it, Sir," said Booth.

"Yeah, I guess you would," Joe said with an almost thoughtful air.

No one spoke for a while. Booth and Brennan, though fairly sure of Joe's decision, had not got a definite answer yet and figured they should wait for Joe to talk first. Joe on the other hand was thinking about how much money he was going to lose when everyone found out that Booth and Brennan weren't going at it like bunnies. The way they argued all the time, he had felt so certain but oh well. He came to his senses when Brennan—Booth being too nervous to risk it—cleared her thought loudly and looked directly at Joe.

"Oh Right," Joe said suddenly then continued where he left off as though he hadn't spaced off, "I was under the impression that you had been together for at least the last year so I can't very well say no to you now, can I? Though if your personal relationship starts to affect your ability to solve cases, I will have to do something."

"Thank you," Booth and Brennan said as one.

"Well, what are you still doing here?" Joe asked, quietly.

Booth and Brennan both said "right" and left the office.

For the rest of the day Booth and Brennan worked together as usual. They did everything they could do that day for the case they were currently working on but when it came time to go home things got weird.

"So I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," Brennan said awkwardly to Booth as they were both leaving.

"Why tomorrow?" Booth replied, in an outwardly calm voice. Brennan missed the anxious underneath.

"I don't know?" Brennan said, "I have never had a relationship quite like this before."

"Me neither," Booth said smiling in relief that Brennan had not changed her mind, "But I am fairly certain that we are allowed to spend time together outside of work."

"Well when you say it like that, it just makes what I said sound stupid," Brennan said, disgruntled.

"I would NEVER describe you or anything you say as stupid, Tempe," Booth said warmly.

"But I am when it comes to relationships."

"No you're not. You're just inexperienced at this kind of relationship."

"Okay. I can agree with that." Brennan said, and with Booth's arm entwined with hers, she walked out of the Jeffersonian.

As Brennan walked out with Booth she realized that a small part of her was overjoyed to hear Booth re-word what she had said to make her come off better. After quickly going over in her head what Angela was always telling her about relationships Brennan decided that this was something most women wanted—though she didn't understand the reasoning behind it. She was suddenly very proud of herself for having a normal girlish feeling and for the first time she thought that maybe she could deserve Booth, though she would always have the better deal.

They went to Booth's apartment. They ordered pizza, watched a movie and laughed more than either of them had laughed in a very long time. Brennan stayed over. They fell asleep in each other's arms, though Brennan woke up soon after and pushed Booth off so she could sleep probably. Booth didn't wake up.

The next morning Brennan woke up for the second time naked and next to Booth. Only after she registered this fact did it accrue to her how different this time was. She was not about to suffocate. She had not had a dream about Booth; she hadn't had a dream at all. They had talked everything though so that she was less scared now, though in no way completely care free. And she was in a bed, a warm comfortable bed. Brennan didn't even try and get up; she just lay there thinking about how much had changed since the last time.

"Hmmmm," Booth sighed, sounding completely content.

"Morning," Brennan said.

Booth looked at Brennan, and smiled. He didn't look away and after a while this started to freak Brennan out.

"What," she said.

"I just can't believe that you're here," he said, softly. "All those times I wondered what it would be like to wake up next to you, and here you are."

"But this is the second time we have woken up next to each other," Brennan pointed out, "So you would not need to wonder."

"But this time is different," Booth said, "This time I know that you are not going to run away or ignore me or say that you just want to be friends. This time I know that this morning will be one among many and not a single act of chemistry."

"I guess that makes sense if you put it like that," Brennan said.

They were both silent for a time. Booth was just enjoying the moment, but Brennan was thinking again. This time she was thinking about what Booth had said about how she had ignored him. She wanted to know how bad that had been for him and yet she really didn't. She didn't want to hear about his pain, but she wanted to know so she could make sure she didn't do it in the future. In the end she thought that knowing the truth was always better, so she turned to Booth and asked.

"How bad was it, back when...," Brennan said, trailing off. Once she had started to ask, she thought that maybe she didn't want to know after all, but the damage was done because Booth had understood what she meant.

"When you were ignoring me, you mean?" Booth said, and got an answer from the look on Brennan's face, but as soon as he made eye contact with her she turned her head to look at her knees. Booth decided that she was just reluctant to hear the answer to her question and thought of not answering, but she must have asked for a reason.

"To be honest, it's all kind of blurry," Booth said cautiously, "I remember yelling more than usual. I think Sweets got most of it though. I spent more time with Parker." He was trying to talk to her directly but since she was still looking at her knees he found it impossible, so he just talked to the side of her head.

"I remember alot of awkward moments that seemed to go on forever," Booth continued.

When Booth catch a glance of Brennan's face he saw how much what he was saying upset her. He decided to leave his explanation there. She didn't need to know how much her ignoring him had hurt. He was now regretting telling her anything at all.

"I'm sorry," Brennan said.

"It's okay," Booth said, now very glad he had only told her the smallest part, "I knew this would be difficult. But it is worth it." He added after correctly reading her expression.

"Okay," she said, and dropped it, for she knew all he would do is tell her over and over that it was worth it and she didn't quite feel strong enough to face that right now.

"How about a lighter topic," Booth said getting up and looking for this clothes. "You hungry? I could make us some waffles or something?"

"Waffles sound good put only if you let me assist you."

As they were making waffles Brennan was thinking about the present while Booth was thinking about the future. Though they already knew each other completely, Booth still really wanted to take Brennan to a fancy restaurant and insist on paying for dinner though she was ten times richer than him; he wanted to go on a date with her. He knew it was silly and he knew that she would almost certainly find some reason not to go, but that didn't change what he wanted. Since their relationship was so new he thought that he would wait to ask her. He knew he had to go slowly in the emotionally department so as not to freak her out. He was willing to go slowly for now, but he promised himself that he would bring up the topic again.

After breakfast, the pair of them went to work, together. Brennan had pointed out that since they were going to the same place, carpooling made perfect sense.

When they showed up together people—meaning Angela—noticed.

"So," Angela said to Brennan once Booth had left to go and do something for their case, "You guys left together last night and arrived here together this morning, and that is the same outfit you wore yesterday" There was a pause while she waited for Brennan to catch the hint. Brennan however thought that Angela was just starting facts. Angela realized that Brennan was never going to understand what she wanted from just that and she was quickly becoming impatient, so she stated her question directly.

"What is up with you two?" Or as directly as Angela can be about gossip.

"We are dating," Brennan said, "Could you do a facial reconstruction for me of the burn victim? I finished the tissue markers yesterday."

"Yeah, sure," Angela said, waving her hand dismissively, "Come on Brennan, DETAILS!"

"Why?"

"Because gossip is fun and because you are my friend and friends tell each other these things."

"I don't know why you find gossip fun, but I will acknowledge the second reason." Brennan paused to examine slight indentation on an occipital bone before she continued. "We talked it though and then went to the head of the FDI to be sure we were allowed. And we were so..."

"You call that DETAILS!" Angela almost yelled.

It took Angela two hours and _alot_ of very specific questions to get everything out of Brennan, but by the end of it she had everything, from the walk out of Sweets office nearly three months ago to that morning when Booth had made waffles.

Booth on the other hand had not been interrogated. Sweets of course figured it out as soon as he saw Booth and Brennan come in together, having been involved though out the transition. Hogdins did not notice much, though he would soon get the whole story from Angela anyway. Cam was just happy to see her friend happy again. She had seen how down he had been for the past few weeks and immediately noticed the change in his behaviour.

"So everything between you and Brennan back to normal then?" Cam asked Booth while he was watching her cut open a kidney.

"No," replied Booth trying to look anywhere but at the kidney. "It's better than normal."

"How so?" Cam asked as she pulled the kidney apart.

"We're together now," Booth said. He was going for happy but it had come out revolted. He could not stop his eyes from starting at the kidney no matter how hard he tried. They just kept drifting back. This combined with the unusually bad smell was making Booth feel sick.

"Sorry," Cam said, as she set the kidney aside and pulled off her gloves.

Booth just made a gesture as to say it was nothing. He was afraid that if he opened his month he would puke.

Cam followed him out of the autopsy room, in order to talk to him. Once they could no longer smell the evidence, Booth started to talk first.

"Why is the smell so much worse than normal?" he asked.

"We are not quite sure," Cam said, "Hodgins thinks it is some kind of fungus hybrid."

"Don't we have lovely jobs," Booth said, sarcastically.

"How did you end up with Brennan," Cam said, changing the topic, "I thought she was ignoring you."

"Yeah, she was," Booth said. He went on to give Cam the rather summed up version of how he and Brennan had finally gotten together. Since Cam was his ex, he didn't really feel comfortable telling her everything, so he just gave her an overall. When he was done, to his surprise, she smiled at him.

"It's about damn time," she said, "You two have been dancing around each other for years."

Taken aback by Cam's reaction, Booth said nothing. Cam, realizing she had made everything more awkward, said she really should get back to work and went to finish her kidney dissection.

Since Angela and Cam both knew all about Booth and Brennan's new relationship status, it did not take long for the whole Jeffersonian to find out. In fact later the next day someone Brennan had never met come over to her and congratulated her on landing the hottest FDI agent in Washington. Brennan suspected that the girl was exaggerating, but she would have to ask Angela to be sure. Booth's experience was quite different.

"So you're dating Brennan," some guy Booth knew by face put didn't know the name of said while Booth was eating his lunch.

"Yeah," Booth answered, back. It had been almost a week since the news had become really well known so Booth was used to people asking him weird questions. He was not however prepared for what the guy said next.

"It's a good thing she's hot huh," the guys said, while Booth started at him non-pulsed, "what other reason would there be to put up with all that techno-babal, right."

Booth did not know what to say, so he settled for punching the guy full on in the face. The guy almost fell over.

"Is there anything else you want to talk about," Booth said very calmly, having already released the anger inspired by the man's vulgar words.

"No."

"Good," Booth said politely, and walked off.

Booth's little punching incident got him in trouble, though it could have been much worse. He was suspended for two weeks and given a very serious warning by the very same boss that had bet on his love life. Luckily the guy he had punched—Isaac—was not well liked, to put it mildly. Everyone thought he was—to put it kindly—a very mean person, so no one was really upset that Booth had punched him. In fact, people kept giving Booth thumbs up for the rest of the day.

"But he has done that kind of thing, before hasn't he?" Angela asked Brennan while she passed. She had just found out what Booth had done in the cafeteria yesterday.

"Yeah, but we weren't dating then," Brennan said, hopelessly.

"How does that change anything?"

"Then I just ignored it or quoted something at him about evolution and alpha male behaviour, but now..."

"You think that you are socially obligated to thank him," Angela said.

"Well, yeah."

Angela sighed.

"Sweetie, you are making this all too complicated," Angela tried to console her friend, who was passing so fast that Angela was worried for her office floor.

"I am, am I," Brennan said loudly, she then sat promptly on the couch and put her head in her hands.

"Sweetie, if you feel like you should thank him then do so, but if it is all too weird don't."

"That's it?"

"Yeah. That's it."

After a pause Brennan said, "Well it looks like I was making a mountain out of an ant hill then," and stud up.

"Sweetie, it's mole hill, not ant hill."

"Oh, well at least I had the first part right," Brennan said as she gathered up her bag, "Thanks Angie. I don't know what I would do without you."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Brennan went to find Booth. She still wasn't sure what she was going to say to him, but she knew that she had to talk to him. She checked his office and most of the Jeffersonian. She went to the diner thinking that maybe he had taken a break from work, but he wasn't there. She was starting to get worried when she ran into Hodgins.

"Hodgins," Brennan said to stop him from walking away from her.

"Yeah, Brennan," Hodgins said.

"Have you seen, Booth?" Brennan asked.

"Yeah," Hogins said, suddenly aware, from the look on Brennan's face, that he was talking to Booth's girlfriend and not his own boss. "He went home. His suspension from active duty started this afternoon. He only had a half day. He didn't want to hang around here with nothing to do. I thought he would have told you." Hogins added after seeing the shocked look on Brennan's face.

"I was in Angela's office. I guess he couldn't find me," Brennan said, and after nodded her thanks to Hodgins she left.

Brennan decided to use one of her vacation days to go and talk to Booth. Since the first night they spend together in Booth's apartment, they had been alternating between her place and Booth's. They didn't spend every night together because Brennan was scared Booth might get sick of her and didn't believe Booth when he said that would never happen. Tonight Booth and Brennan had planned to spend the night apart, but she needed to talk to him.

Brennan was lucky to find the door unlocked when she arrived at Booth's apartment and went inside. She found him sleeping in his bed. She decided not to wake him and went back into the living room to find something to do.

She couldn't think of anything that she wanted to do so she decided to just sit and wait for him to wake up. Her mind started to wonder while she waited and before she knew it her mind was on Booth. Although she had originally decided that she needed to thank Booth for—lack of a better phrase—defending her honour, she wasn't sure if she still wanted to. He had been suspended. They had said that their romantic relationship wouldn't affect there working relationship, and now that it had—for she was assuming that this all had something to do with Booth punching Isaac yesterday—she didn't know what to do. She didn't want to lose Booth, but she also didn't want to ruin their friendship. She decided to do something that she didn't often do: she was going to do what she felt was right in the moment. It was then that Booth woke up. He got out of bed and was pouring coffee when he noticed Brennan.

"How did you get in?" he asked.

"You left your door unlocked."

"Oh," Booth said, "You know I could give you a key if you want."

Booth finished pouring his coffee and started drinking it.

"Why didn't you tell me you were suspended?" Brennan said, totally ignoring Booth's attempt to give her a key to his place.

"I couldn't find you and since we were planning on spending the night at our own places I decided to go home. I was going to phone you tonight or tell you tomorrow morning. I tried to text you, but I guess it didn't get though."

"Does this have something to do with what you did yesterday?"

"Do you mean punching Isaac?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, that's why I was suspended," Booth said, "But it doesn't matter."

"Of course, it matters!" Brennan almost yelled, "You were suspended for 2 weeks and it is all my fault."

"Hardly," Booth said as he came over with his coffee to sit next to her, "it is not your fault that I cannot control my temper?"

"No, it is my fault that you were in a situation that required you to control your temper in the first place."

Booth sighed, but knew that it was pointless arguing with her.

"Look at it this way," Booth said, "I have two weeks' vacation ahead of me. Why don't you and me go on a trip. We could go scuba diving or rock clipping or just rent a fancy hotel room and order a lot of room service."

"It's I not me," Brennan said, to avoid answering Booth's question.

"Or we can go to a spelling and grammar competition and you could correct everyone." Booth said, warmly, with a smile on his face.

"Not funny, Booth."

"Really? I thought it was hilarious!"

Brennan turned away from him and made to leave.

"Wait," Booth called desperately, "I was just kidding. Why do you always leave when you get mad? Why can't we talk about this?"

"I don't think that there is anything to talk about," Brennan said as she picked up her things and went to the door, "We said that this wouldn't affect our work so since it has..."

"Are you braking up with me?"

"Not really. Once your suspension is over we will be partners again."

"That is your version of 'Let's just be friends' isn't it" Booth said, miserably.

"If I understand the meaning of that statement correctly, then yes," Brennan said, "See you in two weeks."

With that she left.

Once she was gone, Booth sat down and started off into space. He really didn't understand what had just happened. It still didn't feel real.

As Brennan drove home she tried to remain calm. She tried to remind herself that this had been her idea and that it was for the best. The thing that had convinced her that it was necessary was that Booth had said it didn't matter. In the past whenever Booth had been suspended he had been upset, but this time he was almost happy. She had decided that this was because of her.

The next day Brennan was assigned a substitute partner that she didn't like, and Booth decided to go on vacation by himself, to think things over. As Booth was packing to leave, he had a visitor.

"Knock, Knock," Cam said while she stood in Booth's open door way, "Do you want company? Or would you rather be alone?"

"So everyone knows that she broke up with me then?" Booth asked, for he really didn't care if he had company or not.

Cam took him answering her question with a question to mean that he wouldn't mind some company and went to sit down next to him on the couch.

"No, just me, Sweets, Hogins, and Angela, though I am sure that Sweets will tell Daisy" Cam said gently, "Everyone else just thinks that Brennan is upset because you got suspended."

"Well at least there's that."

"So where are you going?"

"Somewhere else."

"Okay," Cam said, "Can I help you pack?"

Booth handed her the bag.

Brennan was not coping well, but had decided that no one needed to know that, so she worked very hard to make sure her outward appearance was calm. Unfortunately for her one person saw through her.

"Sweetie, tell me what happened."

"It's nothing," Brennan said, "Have you finished the skull reconstruction yet?"

"Yeah, do you want it?"

"Yes. I have to compare the marks on the bone with all the possible murder weapons that new FDI agent brought in, from the suspect's house."

"I can set that up."

"Good."

Angela followed Brennan to her lab and did the comparison with her. They found a possible match but Brennan was not convinced that it was the actual murderer weapon and told the new FDI agent that. He was not happy. He said that he wanted the case solved fast because he had a dinner date he didn't want to miss.

"I don't give a damn about your precious dinner date!" Brennan practically screamed at the new FDI agent, and then without another word she left. On her way out she told her boss that she was taken the rest of the day off.

Once Brennan was home, she collapsed on her couch. She was amazed that her temper had gotten so out of control like that. She was usually so good at controlling it.

"Maybe I am more upset then I thought," Brennan said out loud to herself. "Maybe I need a vacation."

"Do you think they will figure out that they are both being stupid before or after we all die of old age?" Angela asked Hodgins as they were both lying in bed. They had just gotten home from work which was starting to feel like a Drama.

"I don't know," Hodgins said, "I mean look how long it took us to realize how stupid we were being?"

"Yeah, but this is Booth and Brennan."

"Yeah. I don't think we are ever going to have a nice unemotional day of work again," Hodgins said, with a sigh.

"I think I am going to call her." And with that Angela got up and went to get the phone.

"Hey Sweetie, I..." Angela started to say when a message interrupted her.

"You have reached Dr. Temperance Brennan's phone, but I am not here. I am on Vacation," the phone said in Brennan's voice.

"She left!" Angela said, shocked.

"What do you mean, she left? Where did she go?"

"I have no idea?"

"What do you mean they have both left?" Joe said.

"I mean that Booth is suspended so he decided to go on vacation, and Brennan was mad so she decided to take some time off," Cam tried to console him.

"When will they be back?"

"Booth said he would be back when his suspension is over."

"And Brennan?"

"She didn't say, but I am guessing she is planning on coming back at about the same time."

"How is it she can leave whenever she wants?" Joe said, "I mean this is her job."

"Brennan has about a month's worth of overtime she has not redeemed. She never taken a sick day and she has about a week and a half of vacation days that she has never redeemed either," Cam explained, "She could be gone for almost 2 months and you wouldn't be able to fire her for it. And even if you did she could find another job faster than you can say 'Your Fired.' And on top of that she is independently wealthy from her books. She only works here because she wants to."

"Oh," Joe said, "I didn't know that."

"You should check the log book more often," Cam said and left. She didn't want to be here when Joe realized that letting Booth and Brennan date may have lead to the destruction of his perfect crime solving team.

For the next two weeks, all of the cases the Jeffersonian was working on involving Brennan's team were put on hold. Hodgins and Angela decided to go on their second Honeymoon to avoid all the tension. Sweets continued to show up for work but was told to go home because as long as he was there the FDI had to pay him and there really was no work for him to do. Cam came to work every day and did all the paper work that she never had time for until one day when she ran out of paper work.

"I am out of things to do," Cam said, "and I was wondering what you want me to do since everyone else is gone."

"Those 2 really are the center of everything, aren't they?" Joe said, looking miserable about the whole thing, "I mean they leave and everything else falls apart. And since all of you are either independently wealthy, married to someone who is independently wealthy or have skill that are valued enough that you can get a job faster than I can blink or some combination thereof, I have no control over whether or not any of you are at work."

"That is not entirely true," Cam said, "Booth, Sweets and I are not independently wealthy, and though we is very good at our jobs I am fairly certain that we could not find a new job faster than you could blink."

"Maybe," Joe said. Then he remembered that he hadn't answered her question and added, "Why don't you just go home. I don't want to have to pay you to just show up and do nothing and I am sure you can find something more important to occupy your time."

"Okay thanks," Cam said and left.

The day Booth's suspension ended, Joe had decided to go to the Jeffersonian instead of his normal office, because he was expecting something to happen. Maybe a big fight or an awkward silence, or maybe they would just show up like nothing had happened. He got there early so he wouldn't miss anything. He decided to wait in Booth's office instead of by the front door, because it felt less nosey.

About an hour after he had arrived he heard noises coming from the lab, and went to check it out. When he got there he saw Booth standing in the middle of the Lab looking like a lost man.

"Where is everyone?" Booth asked Joe as soon as he saw him.

"They went on vacation."

"What? All of them?"

"Yep."

"Well that must suck for you."

"Yep."

"Did they say when they would be back?"

"Cam and Sweets will be back whenever I call them, but I have no idea when Brennan, Hodgins and Angela will be back."

"Huh," was all Booth had to say.

"I assumed they would show up when you did, actually," Joe said to Booth and then added, "I thought that you and Brennan had gone on vacation together."

"I suggested it, but she didn't want to."

"Huh," was all Joe could think of to say to that.

"Yeah," was Booth's brilliant reply.

"This is getting awkward," Joe said, trying to lighten the mood, "And since we have no work to do, do you want to play cards?"

"Won't that be weird?"

"Na," Joe said as he waved dismissively, "and besides, I don't want to leave in case someone shows up and it is really boring waiting here all by myself."

"I can see how that could get boring."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

An hour or so of card games later, Booth was about to let his boss beat him again when they heard someone.

"Well this place sure gets quite," said a voice they recognized.

"Yep," said a softer voice, "maybe we should do this Honeymoon trip on a yearly basses."

Joe and Booth got up and went to great the intruders, although they were sure who they were by now.

"Where is everyone," Angela and Hodgins said as one, once they saw Booth and Joe coming towards them.

"Brennan went on vacation," said Booth.

"And everyone else was send home since there was nothing else to do around here," Joe finished explaining.

"Wow" Hodgins said to Joe, "That must really suck for you."

Joe just sighed.

"Did Brennan tell you where she was going on vacation?" Angela said to Joe, "All I got from her was a message on my answering machine saying she was on vacation."

"Nope," Joe said, "All I got was her telling me she was cashing in her over-time to go on vacation. She didn't tell me anything else."

At that precise moment they heard the door of the Jeffersonian open, and everyone turned to look. And there standing in the doorway was Brennan looking as composed as ever.

"Hey guys," Brennan said as she waved, "What up?"

Every single person in the room was speechless, except Booth.

But "What?" was all he had to say.

"I picked up some new lingo on my trip."

"Where in the world did you go to pick up that?" Angela asked.

"Kenya."

"What were you doing there?" Hodgins asked, "Consorting with a gang?"

"I was identifying bodies"

"How does that constitute a vacation?" Joe asked, "That's what you do here every day."

"But it was in a different place," Brennan said, "I thought the definition of a vacation was just being somewhere where you aren't normally."

"No Sweetie," Angela said, "the definition of a vacation is _not_ working while being somewhere you aren't normally."

"Oh,'" said Brennan, "then Joe, I did not go on vacation. I went to work somewhere that I don't normally work."

"So should I call Cam and Sweets in or are you guys all planning on taking time off again without warning me?" Joe said.

Brennan, Booth, Angela and Hodgins all looked at each other then said together "Call them."

The rest of the day passed almost like normal. Cam and Sweets showed up to work only half an hour later, Sweets bringing Daisy with him, and the old gang was back to work only an hour after that. Everything seemed to be back to normal, but it was a normal from before Booth and Brennan were locked in a Bunker and everyone could tell Booth didn't like it. Brennan didn't like it either though she had spent her entire 'vacation' working on her poker face so no one could tell, not even Angela.

Booth really wanted to talk to Brennan about them but all she would talk about was work, so he decided to wait until the work day was over.

"Temperance," Booth said as the day was coming to an end. He and Brennan were alone in the lab.

"Yeah," Brennan said.

"Can we talk?"

"About what?"

"About what happened at my apartment two weeks ago."

"No good can come of us talking about that."

"Do you really mean that?" Booth said with a horrible pained look on his face.

Brennan was about to say yes when she spotted Booth's face and couldn't lie.

"No I don't, but—" Brennan started to say and was interrupted by Booth kissing her. She was about to push him off when she remembered how much she had missed him.

Booth pulled away running his hand down her face and neck as he said, "I missed you."

Brennan made a contented noise in the back of her throat and closed her eyes.

"Why did you break up with me again?" Booth said in a half-joking half-serious way.

"Our relationship started to affect our work, and we said it wouldn't."

Booth stopped stroking Brennan's face and she opened her eyes to look at him.

"How so?" Booth said.

"You punched Isaac for me and got yourself suspended which affected our work."

At this Booth smiled.

"You think I only punched Isaac cause we were dating?"

"Well yeah"

"I would have punched him for insulting you whether we were dating or not," Booth said smiling, "If we had just talked this out before you left, I could have told you that."

"That settles it," Brennan said, "I should never make decisions in the moment."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was waiting for you to wake up, I thought about what I was going to say and came to the conclusion that I was just going to do what come to me in the moment."

"And breaking up is what came to you?"

"Yes."

Booth sighed and said, "You are so..."

"So what?"

"I don't know, just you. You are so you," Booth said smiling.

After a moment of silence he added, "Can we just pretend this whole 'friends only' thing never happened and go back to when everything was perfect?"

"You thought that was perfect?"

"Almost."

"What was wrong with it?"

"You only let me spend 2/3's of my time with you," Booth said smiling.

Brennan sighed.

"If we spend all out time together you would get sick of me."

"Never."

"Fine then maybe I would get sick of you."

"Maybe," Booth said in an I-don't-believe-you way, "Can you finish that skull tomorrow?"

"I guess so," Brennan said, "Why?"

"I missed you," Booth repeated.

Booth and Brennan flipped a coin to determine which house they were going to sleep at tonight and ended up at Brennan's place.

"How come your house is so much bigger than mine?" Booth asked as they come in through the entrance hall.

"Because I am independently wealthy from my books, while you are a government paid social servant," Brennan said.

"Right," Booth said.

"Is that why you are so interested in me?" Brennan asked, "For my money"

At this Booth wrapped his arms around her from behind and said, "Do you really believe that?"

"No not really, but it does pop into my head every now and then."

Booth turned Brennan around to look her in the eyes before he continued.

"Money means nothing. In fact I wish you were poor cause then I could get away with paying for things, like restaurant bills."

"I could let you paid for things and then pay you back so you don't go broke," Brennan said, jokingly.

"Tempting but no," Booth said, "I don't think my pride could take it."

"Tempe," Booth said while he was looking for his tie, "we both have draws in each other's places."

"Yes," Brennan said not really catching on. I had been a few months since they had gotten back from their respective vacations; though you could hardly call Brennan's a vacation.

"Never mind," Booth said. He thought that if he asked Brennan to move in—or asked if he could move in as her house was twice the size of his—he would freak her out. He decided to start smaller.

"On a different topic," Booth said, "I think we should go on a date,"

"Why?"

"Well, Why not?"

"Dates are a social ritual that are designed to allow people to get to know each other in a neutral setting before their relationship gets serious; therefore, since we already know each other and our relationship is already serious, a date would be completely pointless."

Booth sighed: _never ask Brennan a rhetorical question_, he reminded himself.

"I see your point," Booth said. He suddenly thought that if she thought their relationship was too far along for a date maybe she would see that it was time for the next step.

"If we can't go on a date, why don't we just move in together?" Booth said.

Brennan just looked at Booth like he was crazy.

"Hear me out, if your logic is that our relationship is too far along and we know too much about each other to go on a date then we should jump higher up on the relationship stages," Booth said.

"I have never heard of 'the relationship stages,'" Brennan said, and then after further though realized that she had. "Have you been talking to Angela?"

"No," Booth said, "Everyone knows about the relationship stages. They are considered common knowledge."

At this Brennan looked huffy. She knew about the stages of everything and was annoyed to be told that she didn't. She decided that relationship stages didn't count and relaxed.

"All I am asking is that you think about it, Temperance. And ask Angela about the relationship stages. She'll know all about it."

"Fine I will ask Angela," Brennan said, "but don't get your hopes up."

The next day Brennan went to talk to Angela about the relationship stages. She found Angela in her office working on a facial reconstruction.

"Hey Ang," Brennan said as she came in, "do you have a minute?"

"Sure," Angela said, "What's up?

"Booth asked me to move in."

"Really that's great!" Angela squealed.

"He used logic on me to try and make me agree to it."

"It sounds like he knows exactly how to phrase things for you," Angela said, half laughing.

"He told me to ask you about the relationship stages."

"Oh, so that's the logic he used on you."

"Yeah," Brennan said, "so could you just tell me what they are so I can use my own logic to turn him down without hurting his feelings. I think you told me once before but I can't remember them."

"Alright, though don't be surprised if they do nothing to help you defeat Booth's logic. I think he's got you on this one."

"We'll see."

"Alright the stages are: spend the night, spend the week-end, exchange keys to each other's places, sexy week-end get away, extended vacation, and then stage six is move in together."

"Well we haven't done all those yet," Brennan said, "maybe I can at least slow this done."

"But why do you want to, Sweetie? You want Booth for the rest of your life don't you?"

Brennan nodded.

"Then why are you fighting him on this?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe you should figure that out before you tell him no."

"I'll try. Thanks Ang."

"So did you ask Angela?" Booth asked Brennan that night while they were making dinner at Booth's place.

"Yeah, I did."

"And..."

"She told me what the stages were."

"And..."

"She told me to think about why I am trying to find a loop hole in the stages."

"Have you figured it out yet?"

"No," Brennan said, "and I thought about it all day."

Booth stopped chopping leaks and gave Brennan a hug. She hugged him back for what felt like a very long time. Eventually she pulled away.

"Can you give me some more time to think about it?" Brennan asked.

"Of course."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Booth let Brennan think about the whole moving in thing much longer than he would have if it had been anyone other than Brennan, for he knew she was a bit skidish when it came to commitment. But his patience was not infinite.

"So have you thought any more about why you don't want to move in with me?" Booth asked Brennan when they were making dinner in Brennan's kitchen. It had been about a month since Booth had brought up the topic of moving in together.

"Yes."

"Have you come up with an answer yet?"

"No."

Booth sighed and said, "Maybe you should talk to Angela about it. She seems to know you better than you know yourself."

"I guess," Brennan said.

The next day Brennan went to talk to Angela in her office while her bones were being cleaned.

"Booth thinks I should talk to you about why I don't want to move in with him," Brennan said to Angela in her usually blunt fashion.

"He does does he?" Angela asked.

"Yes," Brennan said, "so why am I so resistant to living with Booth?"

"Well," Angela said choosing her words carefully, "have you ever lived with a boyfriend before."

"No," Brennan said, "Though I have almost lived with a sexual partner many times before."

"When you say many you mean?"

"Two times."

"Sweetie, that's not many."

"Okay then what would you call it?"

"Twice."

"Huh," Brennan said, "so when will I be able to use the word many?"

"Over six," said Angela, "but we are getting off topic. Brennan if you have never lived with a boyfriend before than that is why you are so hesitant. You do not like change. You are scared of the unknown."

"I am not scared."

"Yes you are. Don't you remember when you were scared of just dating Booth? You have grown a lot since then and now you need to grow a little more in order to stay happy."

"What if I don't want to grow anymore?" Brennan said, "It scares me how much I have changed already. If I have to change even more then it might change who I am and if I have to change who I am in order to be with Booth…." Brennan trailed off and then started again. "I don't want to wake up in ten years and find out that the only way I can define myself is that I am his girlfriend."

"I really don't think there is a chance of that happening, Sweetie," Angela said, "You are the most defined person I have ever known. And Booth would never expect you to become his housewife."

"I didn't say anything about being his wife."

"No you didn't, but I made the leap," Angela said.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because Sweetie, if you are still with Booth in ten years the chances are you will have to marry him cause he is that kind of guy," Angela said smiling. Brennan on the other hand was not impressed.

"I don't think so!" she said, "Booth knows that I don't believe in marriage."

"I know he does," Angela said, "but that doesn't change the fact that he is the marrying kind. Even if you won't want to marry him, he will still want to marry you."

Brennan didn't know what to say to Angela and she was too busy freaking out about Booth to thank Angela properly for the advice so she just left. She needed to talk to Booth. The talk with Angela seemed to have created more questions than answers.

Brennan found Booth in his office looking over the case file for their current investigation.

"Yeah, Tempe," Booth said when she can in, "I was just looking over the victim's file. She seems to have a birth certificate, passport, and everything but my gut tells me that there is something missing. It's like everything is too perfect." At this Booth looked up and saw the expression on Brennan's face. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Brennan didn't say anything. Now that she was here with Booth she found she didn't want to know what he had to say on the topic because as soon as she saw him reality hit her. She knew that Angela was right: Booth was the marrying kind and she was screwed. This was why she hadn't wanted to enter into a relationship with Booth in the first place. She decided to just focus on the file Booth had been talking about. At least this was something she could do.

She went over to the file and read through it while taking into account everything Booth had said. After she was finished she said, "I think that maybe the documents are fake. Which means that his Victim just from being Mercy Fields to Jane Doe."

While Brennan was talking she was looking down at the documents. When she was finished talking Booth gently put his hand until her chin and pulled her face up to look him in the eye. "What is wrong?"

"Let's just focus on the case."

"Why won't you tell me?"

Brennan just got up and looked away.

"Does this have something to do with your talk with Angela?"

Brennan knew that he would never stop asking her. She knew that if she didn't get this over with she could never heal but she wasn't even sure she wanted to heal anymore. She just knew that there was no point in extending this moment of between any longer. Either Booth would leave her for someone who would marry him or he wouldn't. She just had to get on with it.

"Yes," she said, unable to follow her own advice by tell him everything.

"What did Angela say?"

Brennan couldn't say it. All she could manage to say before she ran from the room was "Ask her."

Booth just sat at his desk and looked stunned for a few minutes. Then he went to find Angela.

Brennan went to her office to cry. She didn't know where else to go. She could have gone home but they were in the middle of a case so she didn't think that she should just get up and leave. She just sat at her desk and cried. She was there for only five minutes before someone found her.

"What's wrong?"

Brennan looked up.

"Oh Hi Hodgins," she said.

"I have never seen you cry before," Hodgins said, deciding it would be a better idea to just say what was different than to ask her what was wrong again.

"Well there is a first time for everything," Brennan said.

"I suppose there is," Hodgins said, "So are you going to tell me why you are crying?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Too embarrassing."

"That is no excuse," Hodgins said, "We have been working together for over 5 years. We were buried alive together Brennan. I am married to your best friend. There is nothing you can tell me that will change my opinion of you."

Brennan smiled up at her friend and decided if she could tell anyone she could tell Hodgins. After all he had been though the commitment reluctant girlfriend problem before with Angela.

"Booth asked me out on a date, but after I told him a date was pointless he asked me to move in with him. I asked for time to think about it but I still didn't know after weeks so I went to talk to Angela about it today and she made me realize…" Brennan trialed off.

"Why you didn't want to move in with Booth," Hodgins finished Brennan's sentence for her.

"Yeah, but also…." Brennan said and then gathering all her courage she added, "why we are doomed to fall apart."

"I doubt she meant it like that. What did she said exactly?" Hodgins asked.

So Brennan recounted what Angela had said. When she was done Hodgins smiled.

"You are quite wrong," he said.

"You can't know that."

"Oh yes I can," Hodgins said coming to sit down next to Brennan, "I am also as Angela would put it 'the marrying kind' but I would have been happy to just spend my whole life with Angela as long as she promised to say with me. Sure I would have been disappointed but I loved her enough that I wanted her no matter what. And from the way Booth acts around you I can tell that he feels the same way. Sure he would probably love to marry you but if you didn't want to marry him, he won't break up with you for just that reason."

"What about kids?" Brennan asked, "what if he wants kids and I don't."

"Didn't you want a baby only two years ago? Why wouldn't you want one now?"

"I don't know how to do this," Brennan said, "I wanted a baby by myself before. I don't think I would know how to have one with someone."

"How is it so different?"

"I don't know. It just feels different."

It was then that Booth came in.

"Hi," he said, "Can I have a word with Temperance?"

"You can have ten," Hogins said smiling and left.

Once they were alone, Booth went over to Brennan and got down on one knee. Brennan's heart started to pound in her ears and her breathing became erratic.

"I love you," Booth said, "and as long as you love me back I will be here."

"What?" Brennan said confused.

"Sure I would love to marry you someday and yes I want to live with you but the thing I want most is you."

"Really?" Brennan said. Her ears were still ringing.

"Yes," Booth said with more conviction then one should be about to fix into a single syllable.

And as Booth was looking at her she realized that she was being ridiculous. Angela had been right—she seemed to always be annoyingly right about this stuff—she was scared for no reason. All her fear was doing is hurting the one she loved.

"Okay," she said, "let's move in together."

"But Tempe I just said that we don't have to."

"I know but Angela is right. I have no reason to be afraid. And I want you to be happy."

Booth sighed. "I am happy," he said.

"Okay then I want you to be happier."

"You have no idea how happy you make me," Booth said and kissed her.

When Hodgins left Brennan's office he went to find Angela. He was curious what she had to say on the subject of Booth and Brennan since she seemed to be such a huge part of it. He found her in her lab working on matching perspective murder weapons with digital images of the victim's bones.

"Hey Angie," Jack said as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Stop it," Angela said laughing, "You are making me lose my place."

Jack gave Angela a kiss on the neck and then let her go.

"So you have been giving Brennan relationship advice again huh."

"Yep," Angela said, "though I don't think she went away with the right idea cause Booth came to ask me what I said to Brennan only minutes after Brennan left. He looked really anxious too. And as soon as I had told him everything he just got up and left."

"He went to find Brennan," Jack said, "I was talking to her when Booth showed up."

At this Angela put her computer pad down and turned to look at Jack.

"And….." she said.

"And what?"

"Details please!"

Jack smiled. "You and your gossip," he said. Then he proceeded to tell her everything he thought she would want to know.

"You know what?" Angela said after Jack was done, "I think they are going to be okay."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It did not take Booth long to move all his stuff from his shabby little apartment to Brennan's big mansion. Within a month they were living together.

Though this was a big change it was not as big a change as Brennan thought it would be. They already spent most nights together and worked together all day. The only difference now was that they were spending that 3rd night together and never going to Booth's place. Brennan found out very quickly that it really wasn't that bad.

"I love your bathrooms," Booth said on the first morning they had been living together.

"I know you do," Brennan said, "You say that every time you use them."

"That cause its always true."

Brennan sighed, and said "They are only hygiene facilities."

"Yeah," Booth said, "But they are great hygiene facilities. The water pressure is to die for and the space is fantastic. You could probably join me in the shower and we would still have elbow room."

"As I have told you before," Brennan said, "I don't do showers."

"Yeah I know," Booth said sadly, "But still at least your great shower gives us the option if you ever change your mind."

Brennan sighed and went downstairs for breakfast.

"And you kitchen is great too!" Booth said as he saw the kitchen come into view. He was walking behind Brennan.

"I thought you weren't dating me because of my money," Brennan said.

"I'm not," Booth said, smiling "but it is a great perk."

"You have seen all this before you know," Brennan said, "How come you are only just over excited about it now?"

"Cause now it is half mine," Booth said, "Before I was a guest and now I am a resident. It is a whole new way of looking at it."

"Technically it is not half yours," Brennan said, "It is still only in my name."

"We should fix that," Booth said.

"Why?"

"Cause this is going to be our house now."

"But I bought it?"

"Yes and now we are living in it."

"I don't know what you are getting at?"

"Oh just ask Angela," Booth said, "man sometimes I feel like I wouldn't get anywhere with you without Angela. I think she is our Guardian Angel. Her and Sweets." Booth laughed. Brennan looked confused. It was in this way they arrived at work.

Once Brennan got to work she went to see Angela before she did anything else. She wanted to get this whole house ownership thing out of the way so she wouldn't have to think about it all day.

"Angela," Brennan said, "Do couples who live together always put the house they live in in both their names even if only one of them bought it?"

"Good morning to you too," Angela said.

"Good morning," Brennan said, "now what about my question?"

Angela sighed knowing there was not point trying.

"It depends," she said, "on what the couples want to do. If the one that doesn't own the house doesn't mine that they don't have legal claim to the house then I don't think it really matters."

"What if they do mind?"

"Then it would depend on where or not the house owner is willing to share ownership of the house or not."

"So what you're saying is that there is no fixed rule at all."

"Yep pretty much," Angela said, "Though married couples do almost always have the house in both names."

"Do you think Booth wants to share my house because it will make him feel like we are married?" Brennan asked, but before Angela could answer Booth came in eating an egg salad sandwich from the cafeteria. He had skipped breakfast that morning.

"Sorry to interrupt the girl talk," Booth said to the room at large and then added to Brennan "But a body was found in a shower downtown that is all fleshless just the way you like them. We need to go check it out."

"Be right there," Brennan said.

As Brennan turned to go Angela suddenly put her hand over her mouth and ran from the room.

"Angela," Brennan said worried but Angela was out of ear shot too quickly to hear.

Brennan made to follow her but Booth taped his watch and said, "Evidence is going down the drain as we speak."

"Okay," Brennan said, "Just let me go and ask Hodgins to look in on her before I leave."

"Angela," came a gentle voice from the other side of the stall.

"I'm fine," Angela said, "you shouldn't be in here. This is the girls washroom."

Jack ignored his wife's complaints.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"I am coming out," Angela said.

She opened the stall and went over to the sink to wash her face.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine now," Angela said, "I just couldn't stand the smell of Booth's sandwich."

Jack gave Angela a wonderfully happy look, and she knew what thought had done through his head.

"I don't think it was that," she said, "I could just have the flu."

Jack walked behind her, all the while smiling, and put his arms around her from behind with his hands over her stomach.

"Okay I now totally agree about the shower thing," Booth said upon seeing the dead body in the shower.

Brennan smiled to herself and said, "The victim is male, and from the look of the fresh I don't think it was water that did this," Brennan said.

"According to the landlord the water hasn't been on for 3 days," Cam said.

"Maybe some kind of chemical?" Brennan said.

It wasn't until they were done gathering samples, looking over the crime scene and were once more back in the car that Booth changed the topic back to personal.

"What did Angela have to say?" he said.

"That there wasn't really a normal way to do it," Brennan said, "Apparently house ownership varies between couples."

"Huh," Booth said, "That really doesn't help my argument. Do you know why Angela ran from the room?"

"No," Brennan said, "but I am going to ask her as soon as we get back."

When Brennan got back to the Jeffersonian she couldn't find Angela anywhere. Finally she went to Joe's office to see if he knew where she was.

"Joe," Brennan said, "do you know where Angela is?"

"Yeah," Joe said, "she and Hodgins told me they had to take the day off."

"Why?"

"I think Angela was sick," Joe said.

"Oh," Brennan said, "Thanks."

Brennan decided she would go to see Angela after work. If Hodgins was with her then she would be well looked after and Brennan had a new case to work on.

"Booth," she said, as she was coming into the lab form Joe's office, "I think Angela and Hodgins are talking the day off because Angela is sick."

"Why would Angela being sick mean that Hodgins has to take the day off?" Booth asked. "I mean I am as much a romantic as the next guy but that is a bit much."

"I will ask him when I go and check in on Angela tonight after work," Brennan said.

"I don't know if you should do that," Booth said. "They may have taken time off for something else that you wouldn't want to burst in on."

"I don't think they would have left a new case for intercourse," Brennan said, "But maybe you are right and I should give them some space."

The next day both Angela and Hodgins showed up to work like normal.

"I went over the gunk from the shower," Hodgins said. He was looking into a microscope, so it looked like her was talking to the petri dish. "I think I found something in with all the people goop that Angela could reconstruct."

"Where did you and Angela go yesterday," Brennan asked the top of Hodgins head since he was still staring into a microscope.

At Brennan's words Hodgins looked up and said "It's a surprise."

"When do we get to find out what the surprise is?"

"Soon," was all Brennan could get out of Hodgins so she thought she would try her luck with Angela. As Brennan made to leave, Hodgins handed her the petri dish to give to Angela.

When Brennan got to Angela's lab she went over to a table and put the dish down. Then she turned around to see Angela looking intently at her compute pad.

"What are you looking at?" Brennan asked.

"Nothing," Angela said too fast.

"So it has something to do with where you and Hodgins went yesterday."

Angela nodded.

"I thought you told me that friends tell each other everything."

Angela couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm pregnant," she said.

"So that's why you were nauseous yesterday," Brennan said.

Angela gave her a 'try again' look and Brennan thought about social protocol.

"I believe congratulations are the correct response," Brennan said.

Angela smiled.

"So where did you go then?" Brennan asked.

"The doctor's to make sure," Angela said, "I didn't want us to get our hopes up and then find out it was a false alarm."

"That makes sense," Brennan said, and then after some social thought added, "I am really happy for you Ang."

"Thanks," Angela said glowing.

"Why does Hodgins want to keep it a secret?"

Angela sighed. "He wants to tell everyone at a big get together in a few days, so you are just going to have to act surprised when he tells you."

"Okay," Brennan said, "Oh and I was supposed to tell you that we need you to try and figure out what that thing is"—Brennan pointed to the table where she had put the petri dish—"and see if you can reconstruct."

"I will try," Angela said.

Unfortunately for Hodgins, Angela found it very difficult to hold her secret in so within two weeks every one of her friends knew she and Hodgins were expecting. The only person without all the information was Hodgins as he didn't know that everyone else knew.

"I can't wait to tell everyone," Jack was staying to Angela while they were getting into bed, "I think our friends will be really happy for us."

Angela didn't say anything. She had told all her friends to act surprised when the time came or if they couldn't act surprised then to not come. She was now worried that Jack was going to figure it out and was very anxious about the whole thing. She wished she could just go back in time and tell Jack that she wouldn't be able to keep it a secret.

"You okay," Jack asked when Angela didn't answer.

"Yeah," Angela said, "Just tired."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

As Angela and Hodgins were getting into bed so were Booth and Brennan.

"How badly do you want this house to be our house?" Brennan asked while they were lying in the dark.

"You want to talk about this now?" Booth said.

"Yes," Brennan said, "we have to talk about work at work and since we work all day I think now is a good time."

Brennan felt the bed move as Booth rolled over to turn on the light.

"I would like it if this was our house," Booth said, now facing Brennan "but I can live with it not being our house."

"What does that mean?" Brennan asked.

"It means I want this house to be ours badly enough to bring it up in conversation but not badly enough for us to fight over it."

"That makes sense," Brennan said, "But why do you want this house to be ours? Angela said the main kind of couple that shares ownership of a house is married couples. And since I know that you would like to be married…"

"Okay yes," Booth said, "that may have something to do with it."

"That's what I thought," Brennan said, "You want to get married."

"Yes," Booth said, "But you already knew that, and that I want to be with you even if you don't want to get married."

"But why?" Brennan asked.

"Why do I want to get married or why do I still want to be with you?"

"Both."

Booth sighed, and said in a loving tone, "You are not like any girl I have ever known."

"Why do you say that?" Brennan asked.

"You needed to ask me why I want to get married."

"How is that abnormal?"

"Most girls play pretend wedding as kids. Or pretend Mom. It is just another one of those things you are unique about."

"What if I don't want to be so unique anymore?" Brennan said.

"What do you mean?"

"I am sick of being the odd one. I want to be able to understand social overtones and structure without having to go ask Angela at regular intervals."

"Then maybe you are already normal by wanting to be normal."

"How come you always know what to say?"

"I don't," Booth said smiling, "But I do know you very well."

"You didn't answer my questions," Brennan said.

Booth sighed and said, "I want to get married so that I can call you my wife in front of everyone I know. And I want to still be with you because I love you."

"That's it," Brennan said.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me that before?" Brennan asked.

"Because I know that you don't want to get married."

"Yeah," Brennan said, "I don't but…"

Booth didn't know where Brennan was going with this but she had his complete attention all the same.

"When I met Angela she was flaky," Brennan said to her hands, "She had had many serious relationships and many people who wanted to marry her but she was always single. She knows all about the social overtones and structure but that didn't help her find Hodgins."

Brennan looked up at Booth but still didn't look him directly in the eye.

"Part of why I don't believe in marriage is because the basis behind the whole thing is flawed. Women aren't virgins when they get married anymore so why are they still wearing white. Father's no longer have total control over their daughter's love lives so why does the tradition of father's giving away their daughter still exist. And how come if everyone means their vows whole heartedly at the time do so many marriages end in divorce."

Brennan suddenly stopped talking. She was looking Booth in the eye now and had an expression on her face Booth didn't recognize. He could tell she was thinking hard, but he had no idea what she was thinking about.

Booth was scared to start talking in case it stopped Brennan from starting up again.

After a long pause Brennan said, "Okay."

"Okay to what," Booth asked.

"Let's get married," Brennan said.

"What!" Booth said; he wasn't really sure whether it was a question or an exclamation, but Brennan took it as a question.

"I don't think the problems I have with marriage apply with us. And it will make you happy."

"I don't want you to marry me just to make me happy."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to be standing in front of all my friends and family about to marry you all the while knowing that you are only doing it to humour me. You only let me move in because you wanted to make me happy. I don't want everything we do to just be about me."

"It isn't all about you," Brennan said, and when Booth opened his mouth to tell her it sure seemed like it was, she elaborated, "I may not have played marriage or mom when I was a kid but…"

Brennan paused. She wasn't quite sure how to say what she was trying to say.

"The main reason I never believed in marriage," Brennan started up again, "was because I thought it was stupid to promise to be with one person for the rest of your life when you don't know what the rest of your life has in store. I always thought there were too many variables to be about to say it with complete certainty. And then statistically most marriages end in divorce so that didn't help me see what the point was either.

"I guess I just never really understood people's need to get married before. And when I don't understand something I don't usually like it."

Booth smiled at how well Brennan was starting to get to know herself. Five years ago she never would have been able to figure out that she didn't like things she doesn't understand without Angela's help.

"But now I get why people want to get married," Brennan said.

"And why do people want to get married," Booth asked.

"They just want to make sure everyone they know knows that this is the person they love."

"What about all the variables?" Booth said. He wanted to make sure this was what Brennan wanted.

"We have been best friends for over five years," Brennan said, "And in that time we have fought with each other, cried over lost loved ones, killed to save each other, found each other buried alive, laughed with our friends, and discovered that we loved each other. If we can survive all that, then nothing else life can throw at us could hurt us."

Booth couldn't think of anything to say that could even remotely complete with what Brennan had just said. He just leaned down and kissed her.

"Temperance," Booth said, "Hurry up."

It was the next morning and they were late for work because they had slept in.

"It is not my fault we are late," Brennan said, "You were the one that kissed me last night."

"Yeah," Booth said, "But you were the one that jumped me."

"I so did not," Brennan said as she but some butter on a bagel.

"Yes you did," Booth said, putting on his jacket, "I was just going to kiss you and go to bed but you had other ideas."

Brennan just glared at her fiancé. She didn't want to admit she was wrong.

"You're late," were the first words out of Cam's mouth.

"Sorry," they both said together.

"It's not like either of you to be late," Cam said, "Is something wrong?"

Booth and Brennan just looked at each other, smiled, then looked back at Cam and said, "Nothing's wrong."

"I don't even want to hear it," Cam said.

Booth and Brennan just went straight to work.

They didn't tell anyone anything because they still weren't sure what they were going to do but Angela figured out something was different.

"What is up with you?" Angela asked Brennan when Brennan came over to drop off something for Angela to look at.

"I mean I am the one who is pregnant and you seem to be the one glowing," Angela said, "So spill."

"Booth and I are going to get married," Brennan said.

"That's wonderful!" Angela squealed.

"Yeah," Brennan said.

"But wait a minute," Angela said, "What about all your commitment issues?"

So Brennan explained to Angela all about her epiphany.

Once Brennan was done, Angela gave her a big hug.

"My little girl is all grown up," Angela said as she teared up on Brennan's shoulder.

"I have to go and look at bones," Brennan said.

Angela let her go. Still glassy eyed.

"I think it might be the hormones," Angela said to explain her sudden tears, "I am really happy for you guys."

"Thanks Ang," Brennan said and then went to examine her bones.

As soon as Brennan left Angela heard the door close. Thinking Brennan had just forgotten something she ignored it.

"So Brennan knows we are having a baby," Jack said. Angela turned.

"Sorry," she said, "I just couldn't keep it a secret."

Jack walked right up to Angela and put an arm around her.

"I am not going to pretend that I am not disappointed," Jack said, "but I wish you had just told me."

"I wanted to," Angela said, "But I didn't realized I wouldn't be about to keep it a secret till after I had already told you I would keep it a secret."

Jack sighed and pulled Angela closer.

"Is this what you have been so nervous about lately," Jack asked.

Angela nodded.

"I wish you had just told me," Jack said, "I don't think it is good for you to be so stressed when you are pregnant."

"Now that I know you would take it so well, I wish I had just told you too," Angela said, "but you were so excited about telling everyone I didn't want to spoil it for you."

Jack turned Angela around in his arm and put his hands on her neck.

"That is wonderful of you," Jack said, "But I would rather be deprived of a simple pleasure and you be happy than getting what I want while you are stressed. Especially while you are pregnant."

Angela smiled and put her hand up against Jack's face.

"You are such a wonderful man," Angela said, "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"Right back at you," Jack said, and then added with humour "though switch out man for woman."

Angela laughed a little and then kissed her husband.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Booth didn't really know what had happened to make everything he had ever wanted happen to him. He just knew that he was now engaged to the women of not only his dreams but of his everyday life. Ever since he met her he had known she would change his life forever and here he was engaged to her. He could hardly believe it.

And now he had to find a best man. He and Brennan had not really had time to talk about what their wedding would be like or when it would be since all they had done since getting engaged was sleep, make love and drive to work.

He was fairly sure though that Brennan wouldn't want a big fancy wedding and a white dress. For all he knew she would just want to go to city hall someday next week, wearing their everyday clothes.

Of course he would much rather have the big white wedding but he was just so shocked she was willing to marry him at all he wasn't even going to hope for the big wedding.

Brennan on the other hand had barely given her upcoming wedding a second thought after she had told Angela about it.

In her opinion the most important part was over. I mean what really was the difference between an engaged couple and a married couple anyway: a piece of paper.

"Cam," Brennan called from the lab as Cam walked in, "I don't think this was murder. I can't find a cause of death from a physical injury. Maybe you should do a tox screen."

"We are so not going to talk about murder right now," Cam said, "Angela said you are engaged to Booth!"

"Yes I am," Brennan said, "and since you already know that why can't we talk about the case?"

Cam really didn't know what to say to such a comment. She just stood there and looked confused until Angela walked in.

"Hey Sweetie," Angela said, and then noticing the victim's body added with a sigh, "Another very gross day at the office."

"This case is not nearly as offensive to the senses as some of the ones we have had preciously," Brennan said.

Angela waver her hand in a 'whatever' kind of gestured and changed the topic.

"Wedding plan time! Have you picked a date yet? What are you going to wear? Who is coming? Indoor or outdoor ceremony? Reception or drinking party? Have you even started planning?" Angela added after seeing the look on Brennan's face.

"We haven't talked about anything yet," Brennan said, "We will probably talk about it tonight. So I think it will be pointless to for you and me to talk about it now. We should work the case."

Angela sighed, but switched topics.

"Alright fine new topic," she said, "So everyone can relax about acting surprised when Hodgins tells you that we are having a baby because he just figured out that you all know. But we are still having a party, so you will still have to come."

"That's a relief," Booth said. He had just walked into the lab and had only heard Angela last comment.

"Yeah," Cam said. She was unsure how to act. She knew that Booth would be much more likely to want to talk about the engagement but she wasn't sure if it was her job since she was his ex. But she also didn't know who else he could talk to.

"Hey Hodgins," Booth said, "We found some mushy stuff at the scene I need you to look at. Can you come with me?"

And then Cam realized who Booth could talk to.

"Sure thing," Hodgins said, and followed Booth out of the lab.

"I don't remember finding anything at the crime scene relevant to Hogdin's expertise," Brennan said, "What are they up to?"

"It's nothing bad," Cam said.

"How do you know?" Brennan said.

"Cause I know Booth," Cam said, "and the only thing he would want to do after getting engaged is talk to his friends about it."

"I am Booth's friend," Brennan said.

"Yeah, you are," Cam said patiently, "But you are also his fiancé."

"How does that negate the fact that we are friends?"

"I give up," Cam said, "Angela you explain it to her. I have to go to a tox screen on John Doe." And with that Cam left.

Brennan looked at Angela expecting an answer.

"You and Booth are friends," Angela said, "but since you are also the one marrying him he can't exactly talk to you about how….."

"How what?"

"Oh I don't know," Angela said, "Excited, nervous, scared, over-joyed, and things like that."

"I don't understand."

"It's like this Sweetie," Angela said, "You know how I came in here wanting to talk about wedding plans?"

Brennan nodded.

"Well that is what Booth wants to do."

"Good," Brennan said, "because we need to talk about it." And with that Brennan made to follow Booth and Hodgins. Angela was about to open her month to stop Brennan when she realized it was hopeless and decided just to follow Brennan instead.

While the girls had been confusing Brennan, Booth and Hodgins had been having their heart to heart talk.

"Where is the mushy stuff?" Hodgins asked once they got to Booth's office.

"There wasn't any," Booth said.

"So why am I in your office then?"

"I want to talk to you, about Brennan."

"Okay," Hodgins said, "Shoot."

"Well isn't not so much about Brennan as it is about the wedding."

"Okay."

"I don't really know how else to say it but to just say it."

"You are starting to freak me out a little."

"Will you be my best man?"

"Of course," Hodgins said, "You were mine so it is only fair."

"Yeah," Booth said relieved.

"Was that it?" Hodgins said, "Cause you could have asked me that I front of everyone else."

"I also wanted to get your advice," Booth said, "You had a hard time getting Angela to marry you right?"

Hodgins nodded.

"But in the end you managed it."

Again Hodgins just nodded.

"How did you do that?"

"I just made it clear to her that I was going to be there with her forever whether or not we got married at all," Hodgins said. "It still doesn't make much sense to me but I really didn't care as long as I had Angela. And I still don't."

"That is not helpful," Booth said.

"Well how did you propose?"

"I didn't."

"You mean she proposed to you?"

"Yep."

"That is great," Hodgins said, "You got the most anti-marriage person that I have ever known to propose to you! Man she must really love you."

Before Booth had a change to answer, Brennan walked in and was a blunt as usual.

"I am you friend right?" Brennan asked as soon as she was in the room.

"Best friend," Booth said smiling.

"Then why are you talking to Hodgins instead of me?"

"Cause I wanted to ask him if he would be my best man," Booth said.

Brennan thought about this for a moment and then said, "But you could have asked him that while we were all there."

"Yeah I could have," Booth said, "But I was just too chicken."

"How are you poultry?" Brennan asked, and everyone in the room except Booth laughed.

"Poultry?" Angela said. She had just entered the room in time to catch Brennan's misunderstanding. "That is just great," she added once she was done sniggering.

Brennan still looked a little confused but she knew enough by now to know that she had just done something a-typical to do with messing up common non-dictionary meaning and figured she could ask either Booth or Angela later if she wanted.

What she was mostly thinking about now was what Booth had said, "I wanted to ask him if he would be my best man." She was going to have to pick a maid of honour. And since her choice was there right now she decided now was a good time to ask.

"Angela," Brennan said, "Will you be my maid of honour?"

This simple statement stopped all the laughing.

"I would be honoured," Angela said, "Thank you." The next thing Brennan knew Angela had ran over and hugged her.

"Well, you did ask me to be yours so I think it is only fair," Brennan said from behind Angela's hair.

Angela was starting to cry when she and Brennan broke apart.

"I am just so happy for you guys," she said. Then she ran over to Hodgins and started crying in earnest on his shoulder.

Hodgins mouthed "hormones" and they left, with Hodgins supporting Angela around the middle.

"So you just came here to ask Hodgins to be your best man then?" Brennan said, "It's not like you can't talk to me or anything?"

Booth walked across the room to where Brennan was standing and put his hand under her chin.

"You know that I love you," he said, "and that you are my best friend in every way and I will always want to talk to you about everything in my life. But sometimes I need guy time."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know how most girls like to gossip?"

"I know that Angela does," Brennan said, "I didn't know it was universal among females."

Booth smiled at her wording and kept going.

"Well, guys do things like that to," Booth said, "Things that they only do with other guys."

"Okay," Brennan said, "But can you at least tell me what you and Hodgins were talking about so that I don't worry about it?"

"What could you possibly have to worry about?"

"Lots of things," Brennan said, "Just tell me."

"I wanted to ask his advice," Booth said then added shyly, "about keeping you."

"Why would you need that?"

"Because—" Booth said, dropping his hand from Brennan's chin.

"Because of what," Brennan said slowly looking Booth in the eyes.

"Because even though I know you love me," Booth said, "I don't know exactly how to be your fiancé. I know you well enough to know that no one could be your fiancé let alone your husband and yet you asked me to marry you. And we really haven't had much time to talk about it since… I just wanted a guy's opinion."

"If you were so worried why didn't you use a bogus story about a bone thing to get me to your office?"

"I don't know," Booth said, "You were straight into the work as soon as we got here. It was like you thought everything was already figured out. I just didn't know how to bring it up."

Brennan moved her hands down Booth's arms until she found his hands. She entwined her fingers into Booth's, raised their hands to her heart, looked Booth right in the eye and said, "I am sorry that I don't always know how to act, or what to say. I am sorry that I don't show you how much I love and need you. But I will always want you. So you have no reason to need advice on how to keep me. You already have me. Forever."

"I thought nothing lasts forever," Booth said.

Brennan smiled, and said, "Nothing but this." And kissed her fiancé.

For the rest of the day Booth and Brennan worked the case though Brennan had been right, it wasn't a murder. It turned out to be an accidental self-poisoning and they all got to go home early.

"So now that we are done with work for the day do you want to talk about plans?" Booth asked Brennan as they were driving home.

"Sure," Brennan said.

"Well that was really enthusiastic," Booth said.

"I just don't see what there really is to talk about," Brennan said. "We want to get married so that is what we are going to do."

"Yeah," Booth said, "but what about the date, and stuff?"

"Well, when are you free?" Brennan asked.

"What do you mean when am I free," Booth asked.

"I mean when do you have some free-time to marry me?"

Booth didn't know what to say to that and they were within four blocks of their house.

"Why don't I answer that once we are inside the house," Booth said.

"Okay," Brennan said, confused.

They drove in silence for a while and then pulled in to their drive way. They both got out of the car and went into the house.

"So," Brennan said, once they were both in the house and had their boots and coats off.

"So I still don't know how to answer that question," Booth said.

"Why not? It is not that hard?"

"I don't really know what you are asking me," Booth said as he went over to sit on the coach.

"What is unclear about it?"

"Well," Booth said, "The thing is you don't just pick a date you are free and plan a wedding. You pick a date, hire people, invite guests and other stuff. That is if you want a traditional wedding. We still haven't even talked about what kind of wedding we want or when we want it or where we want it. I think we need to figure that out first."

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place," Brennan said exasperatedly, "I know even less about all this than you do."

"Yeah but," Booth said, "I didn't want to scare you off the wedding idea by suggesting a big fancy one."

"You really don't get it do you," Brennan said coming over to sit next to Booth. "I am going to marry you. And you can't stop me."

She smiled and he smiled back.

"Once I make a decision I stick with it," Brennan said.

"Not always," Booth said, "You once decided to have a baby and then changed your mind."

"I didn't change my mind," Brennan said, "You got sick remember."

"No you said you wouldn't have a baby before we found out I was sick," Booth said.

"Oh right," Brennan said.

"Actually," Booth said remembering, "You said you didn't want a baby with me once I said I had to be involved."

Brennan looked down at her hands, ashamed.

Booth pulled her face up.

"Things are different now," he said, "that Brennan would never have wanted to get married."

"But now that we are on the topic," Booth said, "we should probably talk about kids."

"I am not pregnant," Brennan said.

"That is not what I mean," Booth said, "Kids is just a topic most people who want to get married need to talk about."

"I accept that hypothesis," Brennan said.

When Brennan didn't start the conversation Booth decided he should speak first.

"I would love to raise a child with you," Booth said, "but I already have a son so if you don't want to raise a child with me I would be able to accept that."

"I once thought I wanted a child alone," Brennan said, "But since discovering how enjoyable this is,"—Brennan stroked Booth's face with the back of her hand— "I have realized something: just because love is nothing but a chemical reaction in the brain doesn't mean it can't be the best thing that ever happened to you."

Booth started to say something but Brennan put her finger over his mouth to stop him.

"I believe that we would have an amazing child and even if I am not looking forward to having a parasite live inside me for nine months, I want to meet that child someday."

Booth smiled under Brennan's finger.

"I don't want to wait," Booth said, as soon as Brennan removed her finger, "Let's get married right now."

"What?" Brennan said, "I thought you were going to advocate for a big white wedding?"

"I was," Booth said, "but you have done most of the compromising in this relationship. So now it is mine turn."

"Thank you," Brennan said, "but we can't get married right now. We need to apply for a marriage licence which will take time. And if our friends don't get to be there they will be mad at us."

"Not if we go to Vegas," Booth said, "we could caught a plane there this week-end and take all our friends with us and be back on Monday as a married couple."

"I don't think you should be going to Vegas," Brennan said, "Especially if you are inheriting all my assets."

Booth sighed.

"I haven't gambled since I met you," Booth said, "You are my gambling patch. What makes you think I will gamble on the week-end I am supposed to be marrying you?"

"Good point," Brennan said, "I guess I would prefer a Vegas wedding to a puffy white dress."

"Then we are decided," Booth said excitedly, "Married in Vegas."

"Yes," Brennan said, "this week-end."

"This week-end," Booth repeated in awe.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"You're planning to do WHAT?" Angela said upon hearing Booth and Brennan's wedding plans the following day.

"We are going to Vegas this week-end and you are coming," Brennan said.

"We are, are we," Hodgins said.

"Yes," Booth said, "Where would a random Vegas wedding be without its Best Man and Maid of Honour."

"Alright I see your point," Angela said, "But still, why a Vegas wedding at all. I mean Brennan has lots of money. You guys could get married on a cruise ship or in Paris or on a Cliff side over-looking the ocean or… somewhere else more romantic than Vegas."

"Like you can talk," Brennan said, "You got married in a jail cell. And besides…"

Brennan turned to Booth with a huge grin on her face and then they both turned back to Angela and Hodgins and said as one, "We don't want to wait."

"Wow," Hodgins said, "You two are worse than Angela and her 'I want a big wedding in two weeks' thing."

"But you pulled it off," Angela said, beaming at her husband.

"You're just lucky I am rich," Hodgins said.

"I know," Angela said jokingly.

"Okay," Brennan said, "Enough about your weird relationship. We are still on mine."

Angela gave her best friend an apologetic look.

"Thank you," Brennan said, "So—"

"I don't think our relationship is that weird," Booth interrupted, "We are just unique."

"And what is the difference between unique and weird?" Brennan asked.

"Well, unique is special while weird is…" Booth said, unsure of where he was going with it.

"Weird is special too," Brennan said, "The difference is that weird is only special to those who are weird while unique is treasured by all."

"And wouldn't it be weird if your relationship were 'treasured by all'?" Angela said with sarcasm.

Brennan glared at Angela.

"Sorry Sweetie," Angela said, "But that was just too funny not to say."

Brennan decided to let it go.

"Okay," Brennan said, "So besides you two, Sweets, my dad, my brother, his family and Cam who else should we invite?" Brennan turned to Booth and added, "Are you going to invite your brother?"

"Considering that you used to have a thing for him I am going to say no."

Brennan sighed. "If that is the only reason you aren't going to invite him then you have no reason."

"Sure I do," Booth said.

Brennan turned to look Booth in the eye and said firmly, "No you don't."

Booth kept quiet.

"Booth doesn't what?" Cam said, as she came in the room with a letter in her hand. They were all in Brennan's office.

"Booth doesn't need to worry about me going after his brother while I am marrying him," Brennan said and blunt as ever.

"Okay," Cam said, "I am not going to go near that. I just came to give Booth this." She handed Booth the letter. "It's from Joe. He said you needed to see it. I don't know why."

"Thanks," Booth said, taking the letter from her.

While Booth was looking though the letter Brennan said, "Cam do you have plans this week-end?"

"No," Cam said, "Why?"

"Booth and I wanted to invite you to our wedding."

"You're getting married this week-end!" Cam said, shocked.

"Yes," Brennan said.

"That's fast. What are you doing, going to Vegas or something?" Cam said jokingly.

"Yes in fact we are," Brennan said.

"Oh," Cam said.

"So can you come?" Brennan asked again.

"Yeah of course," Cam said, still a little shocked but getting over it quickly, "Who else is coming?"

"We are," Hodgins said, pointing to Angela.

"And I am inviting my father and brother and Booth is going to invite his brother," Brennan said.

"Tempe," Booth said, looking up from the papers at last, "my brother has been arrested for drunk driving in Nevada."

"Perfect," Brennan said, "Then he is already there."

Booth just looked at Brennan like she was crazy.

Brennan realized she had been harsh. She went over to Booth's side and held his hand in hers.

"You knew this would happen eventually," Brennan said, "At least thanks you to he is not in the military anymore and can't hurt anyone. And we can go get him."

Booth nodded.

"Oh what the hell," Cam said, "Let's go now."

"But it is only Wednesday?" Hodgins said.

"Yeah but our current case is all wrapped up, we all have at least two vacation days to cash and we need to go bail out Booth's brother anyway so why not?"

"If we do that we may have to invite Joe," Brennan said.

"We can't do that," Booth said, "He is our boss. It would be too awkward.

"Cam is our boss," Brennan pointed out.

"Yeah, but she is also our friend," Booth said, "And my ex."

"I think Joe was really hurt when we all just ditched him after you got suspended," Brennan said, "And I think he would be really hurt if we all went on vacation again without him."

"Man Booth," Angela said, "What did you do to her?"

"What do you mean?" Booth said.

"You fixed her," Angela said.

Brennan laughed. Booth smiled.

"Okay," Brennan said, "Cam go tell Joe we are going to use a few vacation days, sick days, or overtime days to go to Vegas, and invite him to. Booth you get a message to your brother. Tell him we are coming to get him and in exchange he has to come to our wedding. I am going to invite my dad and brother. Angela and Hodgins—"

"Are going to do Maid of Honour and Best Man stuff," Angela said and then grabbing hold of her husband's arm she dragged him from the room.

"Find Sweets and invite him," Brennan called to their retreating backs. Angela didn't hear Brennan but Hodgins gave her a thumbs up as he was dragged away.

"Okay," Brennan said, slowly, "I don't know what they are doing but everyone else…"

"Were on it," Cam said smiling, "But when I get married you are going to take orders from me."

"I do already," Brennan said, "You are my boss."

"Wedding orders then," Cam said.

"Okay," Brennan said, "So we will all met back here packed and ready to go tomorrow morning at 8:00am. I will organize planes tickets. All you guys have to do it show up ready to leave."

"You can't pay for all the tickets Brennan," Hodgin said.

"Sure I can," Brennan said, "You get a ticket there and no reception. Deal?"

"How about you fly us there and I put us up once we get there?" Hodgins said.

"Fine," Brennan said, "Let's go."

"Off to tell the boss everyone is going to play hookie at the same time," Cam said, "This should be fun." And she left to find Joe.

"I have a phone call me make," Booth said; he kissed Brennan good-bye and went to call his brother.

Brennan smiled and went to find her family to invite them to her wedding.

Cam knocked on Joe's door.

"Come in," came Joe's voice from behind the door.

Cam came in.

"I am here to tell you that Booth and Brennan are getting married," Cam said figuring she should start with the good news first, "And that they would like to invite you to their wedding."

"Wow," Joe said, "but why are you here now. Don't people get married months or years after they get engaged?"

"Yes most people do," Cam said, "But not Booth and Brennan. They are going to Vegas tomorrow."

"What?" Joe said, "Tomorrow! They can't. Vegas is on the other side of the country. It would cost a fortune and it is a work day. Don't they care about their jobs?"

"They care a great deal about their jobs," Cam said, "But they care more about each other. We just finished a case. We all have either vacation days, sick days and/or over-time we haven't used. And both the bride and the best man are filthy stinking rich so we figured why not go to Vegas now."

"Well when you put it like that," Joe said.

After a paused where Joe looked very over-whelmed Cam added, "Are you coming?"

"If I can get the time off I will come," Joe said, "Though with all of you leaving I don't see why I need to be here anyway."

"Great," Cam said, "All you have to do is show up at Brennan's office tomorrow morning at 8:00am packed and ready to go.

"Then I will see you then," Joe said.

Booth went to his office and found the Nevada police number. He sat down and was about to dial when he stopped.

Did he really want his little brother there? Even if Brennan was right about the jealousy, Jared was not one of those people that should be going anywhere with an open bar. And even if Jared could be trusted around alcohol would he want Jared at his wedding? Maybe he should just send someone down to get Jared and tell Brennan he couldn't come.

But could he lie to Brennan without her being about to read him. He didn't want to have to lie to Brennan.

Booth ended up just sitting at his desk staring at the phone.

After a while someone came in.

"I thought you would need some encouraging," Brennan said, as she came in.

"How did you get to know me so well," Booth said.

Brennan came over to stand behind him and put her arms around his shoulders.

"I don't know," she said softly.

"Why do you want me to invite my brother?" Booth said.

"Because he is your family," Brennan said, "and as I understand it family members are supposed to come to weddings."

"Is that it?"

"What else could there be?"

"I don't know," Booth said, "I still don't like the fact that you and him used to be an item."

Brennan sighed, and turned Booth's chair around to face her.

"Do you know why we used to be what you call an item?" Brennan said.

Booth shook his head.

"Because he reminded me of you," Brennan said, "I had convinced myself that I couldn't have you so I decided to try the next best thing. But I quickly discovered you two are nothing alike."

"I think you will regret it if you don't invite him," Brennan continued after a pause, "and I don't want to have to hear about it every day for the rest of my life."

"Okay," Booth said.

Brennan kissed Booth and said, "Good. Now I have to get back to inviting my own family. See you at home."

And Brennan left the office.

Booth dialled the number.

"Hello," came a voice on the phone.

"Hello," Booth said, "This is Special Agent Seeley Booth calling about Jared Booth's arrest. I would like to speak to him."

"Ah, yes," said whoever was on the other line, "One moment please."

"Hello," Jared said.

"Hi," Booth said.

"I thought you said you weren't going to bail me out again?"

"I did. And I am not," Booth said, "at least not for your sake."

"What do you mean?"

"I am getting married," Booth said, "And I want you to come."

"I would but I am a little tied up right now."

"I am willing to bail you out for the wedding," Booth said, "We are all going to Nevada Vegas tomorrow. I would do it then."

"What is the caught," Jared asked.

"No caught," Booth said, "except that you have to behave at my wedding."

"Okay," Jared said.

"So do you want to come?" Booth asked.

"Since I am only getting bailed out if I come then how can I refuse."

"I don't want you to come if you are only coming to get bailed out," Booth said.

"I want to come," Jared said, earnestly.

"Okay then I will see you tomorrow."

"Who are you marrying?" Jared asked.

"Brennan," Booth said.

"Where are you taking me?" Jack asked Angela while she was towing him away.

"It's a secret," Angela said.

"Okay," Jack said, "but we need to invite Sweets on our way to doing whatever secret thing you have planned."

"Where did you get that from?"

"Brennan shouted it to us as we left."

"Okay then," Angela said, "Then we have to make a stop on the way."

Angela dragged her husband to Sweets' office.

"Yeah, Sweets," Angela said, "We have been told to tell you that you are invited to Brennan and Booth's wedding. Just show up at Brennan's office tomorrow morning at 8:00am packed and ready to leave." She said all this so fast the Sweets only caught every other word.

Sweets barely had time to get a confused look on his face before Angela was attempting to drag Jack off again.

This time Jack held his ground.

"Alright fine," Angela said, "Do you have any questions?"

"About a million."

"I don't have time for a million," Angela said, "how about three."

"Is she serious?" Sweets said to Jack.

"Normally I would say no," Jack said, "But today I am going to have to say yes."

Angela looked so impatient to leave that Jack said, "You go do whatever it is you are so excited to do and I will fill Sweets in on what is going on. I'll text you when I need to find you."

Angela nodded and almost ran from the room in her hast to start 'the maid of honour and best man stuff.'

Once Angela was gone Sweets said, "Hodgins what is going on?"

"Booth and Brennan got engaged a few days ago and have decided to get married in Vegas so they don't have to wait. And since our case is over we have all decided to go to Vegas as a group holiday. Do you want to come?"

"Oh course I do," Sweets said, "but how did this happen?"

"Why don't you ask Booth and Brennan tomorrow morning?"

"I will but what do you know?"

"Nothing I can in good conscious repeat," Hodgins said, "But I will tell you that this trip is going to be awesome. Brennan is flying us all to Nevada then I am putting us up once we get there."

"So I don't need to worry about buying a plane ticket then?"

"Nope," Hodgins said, "just show up to Brennan's office tomorrow morning packed and ready to go.

"I can do that," Sweets said, "See you tomorrow. Good luck finding Angela."

"Thanks I will need it."

Angela has gone to a jewellery store. And she was there when she got her husband's text saying he was looking for her. She texted him back where she was, and continued her talk with the salesman.

"Sorry you were saying," Angela said.

"The ring you have picked out is most expensive I am not sure…"

"Don't worry about that," Angela said, "My husband is loaded and besides it's a gift for a friend."

"I see," the salesman said. He had been working in jewellery stores long enough to see more than one rich housewife spend huge amount of their husbands money at his store.

"In that case would you like to see more interesting rings?"

"No I need a pair of wedding bands," Angela said, "Some friends of mine are getting married and my husband and I are the maid and honour and the best man."

"Oh," the man said. He was a little surprised because in the past when rich housewives came in here to buy something for a 'friend' they usually left with three things for themselves and one inexpensive thing for the friend. This woman seemed to want two expensive things for her friends and nothing for herself.

"Can you bring in the bride and groom for a fitting so I can size the rings you want?"

"Unfortunately no," Angela said, "It's a surprise."

"How can wedding rings be a surprise?"

"You know you are very noisy for a salesman," Angela said, "I thought the customer was always right?"

"I beg your pardon mam," the salesman said trying to remember his manners, "You were saying?"

"Right," Angela said, "So I was hoping you could use my finger to gage the size as me and my friend have similar hands."

The salesman nodded and said, "And what of the groom's ring?"

Just then the door opened and Jack came in.

"There you are," Jack said, going up to stand beside Angela, "So what was so important you couldn't wait 5 minutes to finish telling Sweets what was going on?"

"The groom's ring size just arrived," Angela said.

"What does that mean?" Jack said.

Angela turned to Jack and said, "I am buying Booth and Brennan wedding bands because you know they will forget all about them. I was also thinking of picking a chapel in Vega from here and getting them to do flowers and food. Just because they refuse to have a big white wedding doesn't mean they should have a boring wedding."

"That is a great idea," Jack said, "Why didn't you just tell me that before?"

"I wanted it to a surprise," Angela said, "So I couldn't exactly tell you with everyone else right there now could I?"

"Okay," Jack said, "Just one more question: How am I the groom's ring size?"

Angela laughed.

"Well we can't get Booth and Brennan to come down here and measure their fingers can we? That would ruin the surprise. So I thought we could gage the sizes from our hands."

As Jack was nodding his understanding the salesman said, "So I presume you are the loaded husband then?"

Jack laughed. "I have never been called that before but sure, I am the loaded husband." Then he added to Angela, "Which rings did you pick out?"

"Here," she said, and she showed Jack two simple but elegant rings. They were gold like most wedding bands but they each had an inlayed strip of emerald running around the middle.

"Wow," Jack said, "they are beautiful."

"I didn't want to get them normal wedding bands," Angela said, "Since they are so far from a normal couple."

"I don't know," Jack said, "they seem to get normal-er and normal-er every day. If that is even possible."

"Yeah," Angela said, "I know what you mean."

"So why Emerald?" Jack asked Angela, "Or did you just think it was pretty?"

"Emerald is the perfect emblem of an everlasting love," Angela said, "and it is the anniversary gemstone for the 20th, 35th and 55th year of marriage."

"That sounds perfect," Jack said to Angela, and then added to the salesman, "We will take them."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

After checking up on Booth, Brennan went to find her brother. She knew that he was on parole and living with his adapted family. Brennan had met his family on many occasions and had even helped get the youngest, Hayley, medical treatment though her contacts. Amy Hollister, Russ's wife, trusted Brennan and had therefore giving Brennan her address.

Brennan thought she would just call the house but after a moment's thought decided this was something she wanted to do in person, if only to see the look on Russ's face.

When Brennan got to the door she knocked.

"One second," came a voice from behind the door.

Moments later the door opened to reveal the eldest of Brennan's adopted nieces, Emma.

"Hi," Brennan said, leaning down to Emma's eye level, "Is one of your parents at home?"

"You're Brennan right?" Emma said, "You are daddy's sister?"

"Yes," Brennan said, "That's right. I would like to talk to him. Is he home?"

"He just got home from work," Emma said, "I will go find him."

And Emma left leaving Brennan on her door step. Brennan was unsure what the social protocol was when a child left you on the door step of your brother's home and didn't want to wait outside for Russ so she decided to just invite herself in.

We walked in a few steps and then closed the door. She didn't have to wait long before she heard excited voices coming from the hall.

"Come on daddy," one of the girls were saying, "It's your sister."

"Tempe never comes here unless there is an emergency," Russ said to his every excited children, "Why would she be here now?"

"You can ask her that when we go see her," came the other girls voice. Brennan couldn't see then so she couldn't distinguish between the two girls.

It was at that point that Russ came into view being dragged by both his daughters. Each one pulling on one of his arms. When he saw Brennan he stopped looking confused and came faster.

"Hi," Russ said, having just been shoved into his sister by his kids, "You're early. We weren't planning on having lunch till next week."

"I know but something has come up," Brennan said.

"What wrong?" Russ said.

"Nothing is wrong," Brennan said.

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I want to invite you to my wedding," Brennan said, "We are leaving tomorrow morning for Vegas and I want you and your family to come."

Russ had absolutely no idea what to say but his daughters did.

"Can I be your flower girl?" they both asked at the same time.

Brennan leaned down on one knee so she could talk to Emma and Hayley face to face.

"I think weddings only have one flower girl," Brennan said, "and I am not even sure if my wedding will have one, but you are both welcome to do something in the wedding. If you asked Angela I am sure she would give you a job."

"Yay!" both girls sang as they ran to tell their mother.

"When did you get engaged," Russ said, finding his voice again.

"Yesterday," Brennan said.

Russ looked shocked, "Why so soon?" he asked.

"Because we can," Brennan said.

"And I am going to assume it is Booth that you are marrying," Russ said.

Brennan smiled.

Over the last year Brennan had told her family all about her even changing relationship with Booth—though she didn't tell them anything until after she and Booth had talked to Joe about it—so though Russ was surprised his sister was willing to get married at all he was not surprised who she was marrying.

He remembered when Brennan had told him, at their weekly lunches, all about Booth's suspension and how she had made a snap decision that had almost cost her Booth. She has told him all about the indecision she had had about moving in with Booth and had tried to help her but had not been able to since he had been over-joyed to live with Amy and her children. He remembered when she had told him how little change there had been once she had moved in with Booth. And now she was inviting him and his family to her wedding.

"So will you come?" Brennan asked when Russ was too caught up in this own thoughts to answer.

"Of course I will. You are my sister," Russ said, and then after further thought added, "wait a minute this means that the FDI agent that arrested me is going to be my brother-in-law." Russ sighed.

"Well if you hadn't been in violation of your parole, he wouldn't have had to arrest you," Brennan said affectionately.

Russ smiled.

"So when and where do you want us to meet you and do we need to find our own transportation?" Russ asked.

"I am paying for the tickets, and Hogdins is putting us up when we get there," Brennan said, "All you have to do is met us all at the Jeffersonian tomorrow morning around eight packed and ready to go."

"Wow that's generous of you," Russ said, "We will be there tomorrow though I am not sure I know how to get to the Jeffersonian. The only way I have ever gotten there before is by police car."

Brennan laughed and said, "Then we will just have to pick you up on our way."

"Okay," Russ said.

If was then that Emma and Hayley managed to drag their mother out to join the party.

"Alright I am coming," Amy said to her daughters as they pulled her along too, "What is so important you couldn't just tell me?"

And then she saw Brennan.

"Oh hi, Temperance," Amy said.

"Hello," Brennan said, "I just came by to invite all of you to my wedding. But I have to go now. There is one more person I have to invite. Russ can tell you everything. I hope to see you tomorrow."

"We want a hug before you go," Emma said, and she and Hayley ran over to Brennan.

Brennan knelt down to hug the girls. When they pulled away she stood up smiled at her brother and was about to leave when Russ said, "Who else do you need to invite?"

"Dad," Brennan said, and left.

"Temperance is getting married?" Amy said, confused.

"Yeah," Russ said turning to Amy, "And she has invited all of us to come."

"I never thought I would see the day," Amy said, "I thought she hated marriage."

"She does," Russ said, "but she seems to love Booth more."

Brennan's next stop was her father. She knew how to get in touch with him though she didn't know where he was. She decided that she would call him from her home phone instead of her cell. Somehow it felt more intimate to her. She would have preferred to tell him in person but since she didn't know where he was that wasn't an option.

When Brennan got home, she went straight to her phone to call her dad. She found his number, dialled and waited. She didn`t know how she was going to tell him and she didn`t know what he was going to say but she found she couldn`t wait either way.

It was then that she realized she could hear a ringing sound coming from her spare room. She went to investigate taking the phone with her. She kept it up to her ear with one hand while she walked slowly to the door but she grabbed a baseball bat with the other. When she got to the door she put down the phone and held onto the bat with two hands. She pushed the door open with the end of the bat…

and found her father asleep on the bed with his cell phone ringing in what she presumed must be his pocket.

Brennan put down the bat and sighed. She went back to where she had left the phone, hung it up (by pushing the end bottom) and put it back in the charger. She then put the baseball bat back where it was supposed to be and went to make herself a cup of tea.

She was drinking her tea and reading a book on the coach when her father woke up.

She heard the bed creak as he got up and she heard his footsteps as he came into the living room.

"Hi," Brennan said, when her father finally noticed she was there.

"Oh hi," Max said, "When did you get here?"

"I would like to ask you the same thing," Brennan said, "and I think you should answer me first since I live here."

Max had the sense to look guilty.

"I heard you were getting married," Max said, "So I thought I should come and check."

"But how could you have heard?" Brennan asked, and then after a moment of thought added, "Did Russ tell you?"

"Russ hasn't said anything to me," Max said.

"Then who—"

"I have my sources," Max said.

"And these sources would be?"

Max made a motion as to zip his lips closed and throw away the key.

"Fine," Brennan said, "But still it was really fast. Last time you thought I was getting married you turned up weeks after Angela and Hogdins got engaged."

"So it is true then," Max said, "You are getting married!"

"Yes," Brennan said, "But before you get all gushy on me just know that all we are doing is going to Vegas tomorrow. We are NOT doing the whole big white wedding thing."

Max looked sad.

"So I don't get to walk you down the aisle then?"

"No. You don't."

"That's no fun," Max said, "But at least you are getting married even if it is to the FBI agent that arrested me."

"It is not Booth's fault that all of my family are criminals," Brennan said, exasperated.

Max decided not to comment on that particular subject.

"So when were you going to tell me?" he asked.

"Right now," Brennan said, "I came home to call you but while I was calling you I heard your cell phone ringing in my spare room."

"Oh," Max said.

"So will you come or not?" Brennan said.

"Do you even have to ask?" Max said.

"Good," Brennan said, "Then be packed and ready to go tomorrow morning."

"I will," Max said.

So that night Brennan went online and bought—Sweets, Angela, Hodigns, Cam, Max, Russ, Amy, Emma, Hayley, Joe, Booth, herself and Jared was already there—twelve plane tickets to Los Vegas. She was about to buy first class tickets for herself and Booth and regular tickets for everyone else since she wasn't an endless pool of money, when she remembered that Angela was pregnant. Then she thought that Angela and Hodgins would want to sit next to each other so she would have to get him a first class ticket as well. Then she thought that if she got only the four of them first class ticket what would everyone else think.

She went round and round her options in her head until the social stuff was just too much and she decided to get everyone first class tickets to make everything simpler. And besides it was a special occasion.

The next morning Max, Brennan and Booth grabbed their bags and headed for the Jeffersonian. Brennan was driving a car with Max in it and Booth was driving an empty car. On the way they picked up Russ and his family. Russ went in Brennan's car and Booth drove Amy and the girls.

Brennan almost never had just her immediate family together like this. Usually when the three of them got together is was because of some emergency or family disaster. But this time it was all about her. And she loved it.

When they got to the Jeffersonian Booth and Brennan got out of their cars and went to check if everyone else was there. They advised everyone else to say in the cars so that they could get going right away once everyone else was ready.

"So who is all here," Booth said, to the room at large once he and Brennan had entered Brennan's office.

Sweets, Cam, Angela, Hodgins and Joe turned to face Booth.

"How many of you brought your cars?" Brennan asked, "Cause we picked up my father, brother and his family on our way here so we don't have much space left in ours."

"I drove them all here," Hodgins said, "I figured no one wanted to have to pay the parking fees on their cars when they got back."

"Good thinking," Brennan said, "So everyone back in Hodgin's car."

And so the little wedding party drove to the airport. When they parked the three cars in the long term parking lot and paid the long term fees, Brennan told everyone to gather round so that she could give them their tickets.

"Okay here are your tickets," Brennan said as she handed them out she said who's ticket it was "Sweets, Joe, Cam, Angela, Hodgins, Russ, dad, and Amy I am giving you your daughters tickets as well as your own so they don't lose them. Everybody ready? Okay then let's—"

"What a minute Tempe," Max said, "You have gotten us all first class tickets. Didn't that cost a fortune?"

"You forget dad," Brennan said, "I have a fortune and this is something I want to do."

"But—" Max tried again but Russ put his hand on Max's shoulder and said, "There is no way you are going to change her mind. Once she knows she wants something no power on this earth can stop her, remember?"

Max nodded and motioned for Brennan to lead the way.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

They all got through security easy enough but once there Emma and Hayley got bored.

"How much longer till the plane gets here?" Hayley asked Russ for what felt like the millionth time.

"Not long now," Russ said, "and because you are with us we will be able to get on the plane before everyone else."

"Why?" Emma asked.

"Because they let people traveling with children get on the plane first so they have more time to get settled," Amy said. She and Russ were sitting on either side of the girls.

"But you would think it would be the old people who would need more time to get organized," Hayley said, "They don't go as fast as we do."

"Yeah," Emma backed up her sister, "you guys do everything so slowly."

"Yeah well you do everything too fast," Max said. He was sitting beside Russ and had been listening to the girl's conversation.

"No we don't" Emma said.

"Oh yes you do" Max said, "I mean what is with all the tweeting and texting? What ever happened to good old fashion conversation?"

"It got boring," Hayley said, "Kind of like this plane."

"The plane will be fun," Max said, "It is only the wait for the plane that is boring."

"How do you know?" Emma asked, getting up and coming over to see Max. Hayley followed her.

"Well," Max said, pulling Hayley onto his lap and looking at Emma, "You see once we are on the plane there are TV's in the seats and the flight attendants bring you stuff and we can play cards or watch movies."

"Wow," both girls said, "Really?"

"Yeah," Max said. Emma, feeling left out, jumped onto Maxed other knee and said, "How do you know all this?"

"I have been in planes before," Max said, "and I have a bag of surprises for the plane."

"Let me see, let me see," the girls chanted.

Angela and Jack could hear Russ's family from where they were sitting.

"Do you think that will be us in a few years?" Jack asked his pregnant wife.

"I hope so," Angela said.

"Maybe I will just buy us our own plane if we had to do a big trip like this," Jack said, "It would be faster."

"I think we are going to have to make sure we don't spoil this kid too much," Angela said, "Otherwise we may end up with a spoiled brat instead of a happy child."

"That's a good point," Jack said, "But you are going to let me spend too much on her at Christmas and on her birthday right?"

Angela smiled, "We don't know if it is a boy or a girl?"

"I know," Jack said, "But I can hope can't I."

"Why do you want it to be a girl?" Angela said.

"So she is more likely to be like you than like me," Jack said.

Angela sighed, "I should have known," she said, "You know sometimes I think you are too into me."

Jack laughed.

"Not possible," he said.

Booth and Brennan couldn't hear what Angela and Hodgins were talking about but they could see them.

"What do you suppose they are talking about?" Booth asked Brennan.

"From the way they are looking at each other I am going to guess it is something romantic," Brennan said.

"Well that's not fair," Booth said, "We are the ones getting married why are they the ones acting like newly-weds?"

"Because they are Angela and Hodgins," Brennan said.

"Well we are Booth and Brennan," Booth said.

"Your point being?"

"I don't know," Booth said, "But I am sure I have one."

Brennan laughed and intertwined her arm with Booths'.

Sweets, Cam and Joe were sitting off from everyone else because they were all feeling a little left out.

"I should have asked if I could bring Daisy," Sweets said.

"I thought you said you two were taking some time apart to see if you really wanted to get married," Cam said.

"Yeah, we are," Sweets said, "But it would have been nice to be here with someone."

"Yeah," Cam said, "I know what you mean. It is awkward."

"Imagine how I feel," Joe said, "I am here alone and I am everyone's boss."

"Yeah but this is not a normal group," Sweets said, "Just consider yourself a friends instead of a boss for the duration of this trip."

"I really don't know how to do that?" Joe said.

"Well stop thinking like you are everyone's boss and just enjoy yourself."

"It's kind of hard to enjoy myself sitting in an airport waiting for a plane," Joe said.

"Fair point," Sweets said.

Sweets, Cam and Joe managed to get away with awkward silence for the next little while and luckily for then that was that they had to endure because the plane arrived.

They all got on during pre-boarding since they had kids with them and there group was so large it was going to take then longer than everyone else to get settled anyway.

When they had all finished getting settled, Angela and Hodgins were sitting together at the front, Booth and Brennan were sitting together right behind Angela and Hodgins, Amy and Russ where behind Booth and Brennan, Max was sitting between the two girls behind their parents, and Cam, Sweet and Joe were at the back.

"What is the surprise?" both Hayley and Emma wanted to know once they had found their seats.

"This," Max said, and opened his bag. It was filled to the brim with board games, cards, trivia questions, movies, toys, and candy.

"Awesome," both girls said together and they started arguing about which they wanted to try first.

Amy and Russ could hear what was happening in the seat behind them.

Amy was starting to look worried. Russ gently put his hand in hers to reassure her.

"They will be fine," Russ said, "Dad doesn't get to spend much time with his granddaughters. He is really enjoying spoiling them and after all that is a grandpa's job." Russ smiled.

"Yeah but," Amy said, and then added in a whisper, "Russ you know I love you and you are a wonderful father to my girls but your father can be a little—" she paused trying to find a way to say it delicately— "scary."

Russ nodded and said, "I know he can but he is only scary when his family is in danger. Believe me he will not let anything happen to Hayley or Emma."

Amy smiled.

In the seat behind the giggling girls there was as different worry.

"I don't think I am going to be able to spend the next 5 and a half hours listening to giggling children," Joe said after already enduring about a half hour of giggling.

"That's why I brought these," Cam said, pulling out a pair of ear plugs from her purse.

"You don't happen to have another pair of those, do you?" Joe asked.

"Lucky for you I do," Cam said, "but you own me one."

"I own you more than just one," Joe said taking the ear plugs from Cam and putting them on.

"Now what am I going to do?" Sweets said to no one since Cam and Joe couldn't hear him.

Moments later both Cam and Joe pulled books out of their bags and started reading. Sweets decided he needed to do something.

Sweets started watching TV but gave up quickly when he couldn't find anything he wanted to watch. He ended up listening to music and thinking about Daisy.

During Booth's suspension he and Daisy had decided to take some time apart to find out if they really wanted to get married. Sweets had had some doubts after talking to Booth about it and Daisy had started freaking out that he had had doubts. Booth had told Sweets he was too young to get married.

But once Sweets thought about it without taking into account Booth's opinion he thought he wasn't too young to get married. And after all Booth had danced around his feelings for Brennan for almost 6 years! What did he know anyway?

Sweet's range of thinking went round and round in circles for the next while but eventually he decided he needed to stop thinking about it. He changed the music he was listening to from love songs to rock and tried to think of other things.

At the front of their group Angela was sleeping on Jack's shoulder. He had one of his hands on her stomach and the other stroking her hair. It was thanks to this situation that only Jack felt the baby's first kick.

"Wake up Ang," Jack said.

"Are we there already?"

"No," Jack said, "the baby kicked."

"What?" Angela said, "How could I have slept though that?"

"I don't know but—" Jack was interrupted by his own intake of breath. "There it is again."

Angela moved her hand over Jack's.

Behind Angela and Jack, Booth and Brennan were sitting in comfortable silence. Brennan was lying on Booth's shoulder. Their hands entwined between them. They had nothing they needed to say to each other for they already knew everything worth knowing.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

After the plane landed they all got off and Hodgins led the group to the hotel he had booked for them.

"How many rooms did you reserve," Cam asked Hodgins while they were walking to the hotel.

"Five," Hodgins said, "One for Angela and I, one for Booth and Brennan, one for Russ and his family and then two for Joe, you, Sweets, Max, and Jared when he gets here.

"We won't all be sharing a bed will we?" Cam asked nervously.

Hogdins laughed.

When they arrived at the hotel Hodgins checked them in, and they went up to explore their new digs.

It was more like a small house than a hotel room. There were five bedrooms just like Hodgins had said but there were also three bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen. The first two rooms had a queen sized bed in each of them. The third room had a double bed and two twin beds and the fourth and fifth room each had three twin beds.

"Well at least you would be sharing a bed," Cam said once she saw the twin beds.

Brennan awoke early the next morning.

She just lay there listening to Booth snoring next to her and thought "I am going to marry this man today."

She had no idea what she was feeling. All she knew was that she never wanted this feeling to go away.

As Brennan watched Booth sleep she thought about everything she had done to get to where she was now. All she had had to give up. All you had had to change about herself. And all she had had to realize about herself.

And she realized something. She hadn't had to give anything up. She hadn't had to change much at all. All she had had to do was act on what she already knew.

"Morning," Booth said, when he woke up, "How did you sleep?"

"Fine," Brennan said, "You?"

"Great," Booth said.

"So," Brennan said, a smile forming across her face, "Today we get married."

"Today we get married," Booth repeated back to her.

Brennan got up and got dressed so fast Booth just started. But what she dressed in was such that he started even more.

"You're wearing that to our wedding?" Booth said.

"What is wrong with it," Brennan asked.

"Its jeans and a T-shirt," Booth said, "I mean I know you didn't want a big wedding but jean and a t-shirt! You wear nicer stuff than that to work."

"Oh I didn't think of it that way," Brennan said, "What do you think I should wear?"

"Something nicer," Booth said. "What else did you bring?"

"Jeans and T-shirts," Brennan said.

"Then we are going shopping," Booth said.

After Booth and Brennan were finished shopping they went to get Jared and since this involved bailing him out of jail they decided to get it over with before they went back to the hotel and woke everyone up.

"What do you think he will say when we get to him?" Brennan asked Booth.

"I hope he is grateful that we came to get him," Booth replied. He still wasn't sure if he wanted Jared there at all but at this point there was no turning back.

"I think he will be," Brennan said.

They drove in silence after that until they reached the jail.

"This is it," Brennan said as they got out of the car.

They walked up to the door, went inside and went straight to the receptions desk.

"Hello," Brennan said, "We are here to bail out his"—she pointed to Booth—"brother Jared so that he can attend our wedding this afternoon."

The receptionist looked a little taken aback by Brennan's forwardness but got over it fast enough. She went through some files on her desk and then looked back up at them.

"You are expected," the receptionist said, "Sign these and we can release him to you."

Brennan took the clip board and sighed her name on the bottom of the paper after reading though it quickly.

"Thank you," the receptionist said when Brennan handed back the clip board, "If you go straight down that corridor and take a right you will see a guard. Give him this"—she handed them a piece of paper with a signature, a stamp and a cell number on it—"And he will open up the cell for you."

"Thank you," Booth said to the receptionist as he and Brennan left.

They went down the corridor and turned right. Handed the slip of paper to the guard and were allowed in.

"So you actually showed up then," Jared said when he saw them.

"Yes we did," Brennan said. Booth hadn't figured out what to say yet.

"And I have bailed you out," Brennan said, "so say thank you."

"Thank you," Jared said.

"Let's go," Booth said, finding his voice after a long silence. "We have to get back to the hotel before everyone starts wondering where we are."

"Alright," Brennan said.

Jared followed Booth and Brennan out to the car. They all got in, Booth driving, Brennan in passage seat and Jared in the back, and started on their way in complete silence.

"I think brothers who haven't seen each other in a long time are supposed to talk," Brennan said after they had been driving for quite some time in silence.

No one spoke so Brennan tried again.

"Are you at least glad that we invited you to our wedding?" Brennan asked Jared.

Again no one spoke.

"Booth," Brennan said, "Are you going to clang in here at all?"

"What?" Jared said.

Booth sighed but smiled, "She meant chime in Jared."

"If that is the phrase meaning contributing to a conversation then yes I did," Brennan said. She was glad they were talking now but not that it took her messing up for them to talk.

"So you really do do that then," Jared said. "Cause when I knew you I never noticed you doing stuff like that. I always thought Seeley was exaggerating whenever he mentioned it."

"You didn't know me very long," Brennan pointed out.

"Yeah," Booth backed her up.

Silence fell again so Brennan decided to give up and put the radio on for the rest of the trip.

When they got back to the hotel Jared was told to stay but refused so they all got out and rouse the wedding guests.

When they walked in they saw Cam, Max, Joe, and Russ up and about though not ready to leave. Brennan had woken up so early that even though Booth and Brennan had went shopping and bailed Jared out of jail they had still managed to get home around 10:00am. According to the half-awake people in the living room only the girls, Sweets and Amy were still asleep. Brennan went to wake up Amy and the girls with Russ's help and Booth went to wake up Sweets.

"Rise and shine," Booth said as he came into Sweets' room, "It's time to get married."

"But I don't want to marry the fish people," Sweets said as he pulled the covers over his head.

Booth went over and ripped the covers off Sweets to wake him up and said, "You don't have to marry the fish people Sweets you have to watch me marry Brennan."

"What?" Sweets said, sleepily.

"You were dreaming," Booth said.

"About marrying a fish?" Sweets said.

"Apparently," Booth said, "But I don't want to speculate."

"I am going to blame the jetlag," Cam said. She was sitting in a chair with her eyes half shut and a cup of strong coffee in her hands.

"I concur," Joe said.

"I think this is all rather exciting," Max said. He was already dressed and ready.

"That's because it is your daughter that is getting married," Joe said.

"Yeah," Cam said, "You are all hyper and happy instead of jetlagged."

The next hour was devoted to getting ready. Those who hadn't eaten ate. Those who hadn't gotten dressed dressed. Those who hadn't showered showered. And those hadn't showed off their new outfit to everyone went to put it on.

A little while later Brennan came out of her room in the new outfit that she and Booth had bought that morning.

"Oh wow Sweetie," Angela said.

Hodgins who was sitting beside Booth whispered into his ear, "I think we are the two luckiest men alive."

Booth smiled so wide that Hodgins knew he was agreeing with him, and then whispered back, "And I hope we never forget how lucky we are."

"Ahem men to that," Hodgins agreed.

"Off to the chapel then," Brennan said, and everyone nodded.

"We have picked a chapel," Angela said, speaking for herself and her husband.

"Why?" Booth asked.

"It is the best man and maid of honour's job when the bride and groom take away all the other jobs by eloping," Angela said.

Brennan had the decency to look guilty, but in her outfit she couldn't look bad.

"Oh don't bother looking guilty Sweetie," Angela said, "You can't pull it off in that."

Brennan smiled hugely, spun on the spot and said, "I do look great don't I."

Booth came over and put this hand on her shoulder and said, "But you always have."

Brennan giggled and said, "You sap. You would say that if I was wearing rags."

"True," Booth said.

"As cute as this all is," Cam said, "Could we get going?"

"Right," Brennan and Booth said together ripping their eyes from the others and turning to look at Cam.

"Thank you," Cam said and turned to Angela.

"Alright," Angela said, "everyone too the cars."

And everyone filed out, until only Emma and Hayley were left. They had been told by Angela the night before to stay behind to receive wedding instructions.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Angela and Hodgin's car lead the way to the Chapel. When they got there they parked and went inside to see if all the arrangements had been made. Once they had confirmed everything they waited for everyone else to arrive.

Once everyone was present Angela gained their attention.

"Okay," she said, "Booth you go in and stand at the end of the chapel. Brennan go wait by the front door. Emma and Hayley wait here with us. Max you can stand by your daughter and everyone else go in and take a seat."

"Wait a minute Ang," Brennan said, "This is a Vegas wedding. I planned it this way so that I wouldn't have to do all that wedding stuff."

"And you won't. I will. And besides it isn't that big a deal. Trust me."

Brennan did trust Angela but she still wasn't sure. She decided the marriage was the most important part and so she would let it go. As long as she was married to Booth by the end of the day it didn't matter.

Once everyone except Angela, Hodgins, and the girls had left Angela handed Emma a little bag and Hodgins handed a similar bag to Hayley.

"Now you know who to give that too right," Hodgins asked Hayley and she nodded.

"Jack you know what to do," Angela said looking at Jack and then she turned to the girls and said "Follow me," and off they went.

When Booth got into the Chapel he found that it looked like any ordinary chapel except that instead of having the altar at one far end of the room it was in the middle. He didn't know where to stand.

"Are you the groom?" a man wearing a priest uniform asked Booth.

"Yes," Booth said.

"You stand here," the priest said, "the chapel was rearranged by request of the maid of honour."

"Oh that explains it then," Booth said and went to stand where he was told.

"Why do you think Angela wants us to wait together?" Brennan asked her father, while they waited for Angela to tell them what to do next.

"Well at most weddings the father walks the bride down the aisle."

"Not at my wedding they don't!"

"Okay well maybe she thought you would want some company."

"That makes more sense."

"I love your outfit by the way," Max said.

"Thanks," Brennan said, "Booth picked it out."

"He has good taste in clothes and in women," Max smiled and Brennan smiled back.

When Hodgins got back from his errant he dropped his passengers off and went to find his wife.

"Is it done," Angela asked as soon as she saw her husband.

"Yes."

"And you told her everything," Angela said.

"Yes."

"Good," Angela said and kissed Jack on the check, "Then everything is in place." Then after a moment Angela added, "You got the reception thing worked out right?"

"Yes."

"You wonderful man you," Angela said and then launched herself on her husband. He kissed her happily for a few minutes but knew that if her hormones got in the way of Brennan's wedding she would never forgive herself so he gently pulled her off him and said, "The wedding?"

"Oh right," Angela said and dashed off.

Jack shocked his head in an affectionate way and went to take his place in the wedding.

"What are you doing here?" Booth said when he saw Rebecca and parker come in to the chapel. "How did you get here?"

"Angela invited us," Rebecca said, "And Hodgins paid for our tickets and picked us up at the airport."

Parker run up to his dad and Booth picked him up.

"Why?" Booth asked, holding Parker.

"She wanted Brennan to let her father walk her down the aisle."

"What does that have to do with you being here?"

"And Parker wanted to be a ring barrier," Rebecca said smiling. She had been told to just tell Booth what he needed to know and no more.

"Parker," came a voice from across the chapel.

Parker asked his father to put him down and ran off in the direction of the voice.

"Aren't you worried where he is going?" Booth asked Rebecca who looked way too composed to him.

"I know where he is going."

"So it is only me that is in the dark then?" Booth said annoyed.

"Yep," Rebecca said giggling, "Man Booth you have some great friends."

"What makes you say that?"

"Just wait and see."

Once Hayley had given Parker her little bag she ran back to stand with her sister. As she went she waved at her parents sitting in the chapels seats.

"What do you have there," Booth asked Parker once had had returned holding something behind his back.

"She told me not to tell you," Parker said in his most grown up voice.

"Oh really?" Booth said, "And she would be?"

"She told me not to tell you that either."

Booth sighed and looked at Rebecca. "I will find out everything eventually right?"

"Yes," Rebecca said in a kind voice.

"Fine then I will just wait and see cause this is just too confusing to trying and figure out."

"Booth you solve mysteries for a living," Rebecca pointed out.

"Yeah but they are easier," Booth complained. "There are suspects and victims and procedures to follow."

Rebecca laughed.

"Now what are you two doing here?" Max asked his gran-daughters when they showed up. Emma was carrying a little bag.

"Angela told us to come and wait here," Emma said.

"So she gave you a place in the wedding then?" Brennan asked.

"Yes," both girls said.

Once everyone else was ready both Angela and Hodgins showed up at their respective positions at the same time: Hodgins with Booth's group and Angela with Brennan's group. Neither of them answered any more questions but proceeded to line people up.

"Okay Hayley you go first and then Emma and then me and then Brennan and Max," Angela said as she proceeded to position everyone.

"Why are you setting it up so that my father walks me down the aisle?" Brennan said.

"Trust me," Angela said. And after a moment Brennan nodded.

"Okay Angela said that Parker had to go in-front, with me behind him and Booth and Rebecca behind me," Hodgins said as he positioned everyone.

"Why does it look like I am walking Booth down the aisle?" Rebecca asked.

"Didn't Angela tell you?" Hodgins said and when Rebecca shock her head Hodgins added, "Cause you are. Now when the door opens and the music starts—"

"Wait a minute," Rebecca said, "Why would Booth need someone to walk him down the aisle?"

"Cause Brennan is an odd bride that refused to have her father walk her down the aisle because of the change in social structure since the tradition was first established and since Max really wants to walk Brennan down the aisle and Angela really wants to let him we came up with a solution: have Booth be given away too so that Brennan doesn't take our heads off." Hodgins said this all very fast.

"Okay," Rebecca said seeing how stressed Hodgins was about the whole thing.

"So that is why the altar is in the middle of the chapel," Booth said, "I was wondering about that."

"When the doors open and the music starts," Angela was saying to the group of properly lined up people in front of her, "the person at the front, that is you Hayley, will open the door and they will stay open of their own accord so we don't need to worry about them after that. Then we will all walk out slowly. Once to the center of the room you two already have your instructions. So let's go!" Angela said this all very fast so that Brennan wouldn't have time to say anything and motioned to Hayley to open the door.

Hodgins had given his group similar instructions except that he had told Parker to open the door not Hayley. Angela and Hodgins timed it perfectly; both Hayley and Parker opened their respective doors at exacutly the same time.

The music that played however was not normal wedding music. It was a combination of many different kinds of music that had been taken from Booth and Brennan's own CD collection. Both of them recognized their own music mixed in with the others before they even saw each other.

Booth was wearing a charcoal suit with a red rose bud in the collar. Brennan thought he looked delectable.

Brennan was wearing a long skirt of shiny silver to her ankles that had a slit up the side of her leg all the way to just above her knee. It had an embroidered pattern on it that was so small you couldn't tell what it was but that added to the look. Her shirt was made of the same material. It was a halter top with a low V neck and an almost bare back. She was wearing a necklace of Angela's that had a silver chain and a bright pendent that changed colours in the light.

Booth thought that in the light of the chapel she looked like an angel.

As the music played the two groups walked slowly closer together.

They were walking toward the priest at the center of the room.

When they got to the center they stopped. Rebecca and Max turned as one and sat down with Sweets, Cam, Joe, Jared, Russ and Amy.

Angela and Hodgins moved to stand a little aside and Parker, Emma and Hayley stood a little closer than Angela and Hodgins but still not too close.

"We are gathered here today in the presents of friends and family to witness the marriage of Seeley Joseph Booth and Temperance Brennan. Marriage is the uniting of two people. It begins a journey towards the unity of two hearts and will last the rest of your life. It thrives on the love that you have for each other and grows deeper as each of you grow older. As you journey through life together, may you learn to trust each other, laugh together and always confide in each other. May your lives together be filled with joy, whether in times of peace or chaos, trouble or good fortune."

Parker walked up and handed the bag he got from Hayley to his father, while at the same time Emma handed her package to her Hayley who in turned handed it to her aunt.

Booth and Brennan opened there packages at the same time and both let of gasps of surprise when they found a ring lose in the little bag.

"Call it a wedding present," Angela said from beside Brennan.

Brennan immediately started to tear up and turned around to hug Angela.

"Thank you," she whispered into Angela ear.

The priest cleared his throat and Brennan let go of Angela. She turned back to Booth and looked at the priest to find out what she had to do next.

The priest was so not used to the bride not knowing what to do that he froze up for a moment.

Booth cleared his throat loudly and the priest snapped out of it.

"I have been told," the priest said, "that this is not a normal wedding and thus have deviated from my normal ceremony. I am also told that this was a spontaneous wedding so no one has prepared any vows. So I am going to ask you to forget that there is anyone else in the room with you, look at each other and speak from the heart. Make your vows."

"Temperance," Booth said, "There are no words strong enough for me to tell you everything I want to tell you, but I will try. You are my best friend. I have loved you for as long as I have known you even if it took me 5 years to realize it and wish to continue to love you for as long as I am alive. I promise to stay by your side no matter what and to always be there for you when you need or want me. But you already know all of this so there is nothing left to say except that with this ring I thy wed."

Booth slipped the emerald ring onto Brennan's finger and held her hand for a moment before letting it drop.

"Lover," Brennan said smiling, "I may already know everything you just told me but here is something you don't know… I always knew you were the one. I have known since the moment I saw you walk into my lecture hall almost 7 years ago. Since the first time I felt that spark. I just wasn't looking for the one. I wasn't looking for anything. I may not like phycology but I now know that it does apply to me. I have always been afraid of being left behind, abandoned but now I know that that will never happen. I know that no matter how much we fight or how much we seem to hate each other one minute in the end you will stay. I feel safer inside my own skin now than I can remember being in my whole and it is because of you. Because you taught me to trust again and to believe in my own worth. So it is with great joy that I slip this ring on your finger and marry you."

Brennan pulled Booth's hand away from his body and slipped the ring on his finger. He as too stunned by her vows to move.

"By the power invested in me by the state of Nevada I know pronounce you husband and wife you may kiss the—" the priest stopped speaking when Brennan anticipating what came next through her arms around her new husband and kissed him.

"Groom I guess," the priest said. He had never officiated such a strange wedding before and discovered he found it kind of refreshing.

Suddenly confide came flying out of nowhere. Booth and Brennan stopped kissing so they could see where it was coming from.

Hayley, Emma and Parker all had bags of little paper flowers and were throwing them everywhere. And Angela was busy handing more bags of flowers out to the rest of the guests.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

It turned out that Angela and Hodgins had pre-planned and paid for a big reception so Booth and Brennan had a hard time saying they wouldn't go especially when Angela started begging.

At the reception Jared hit on Cam and Rebecca as they were the only single woman there but didn't get very far with either of them. Cam was not interested based on the fact that she was friends with Booth and dating his brother probably wouldn't thrill him and Rebecca just said that she had already had enough experience dating Booth's.

Once Booth and Brennan had been at the party for what they believed was long enough they decided they could leave but Angela would have none of it. Angela did however let Russ and Amy go home to put Emma and Hayley to bed.

Joe, Sweets and Max were having a blast though. Sweets had gotten slightly drunk and Joe had decided to follow suit since even though he was everybody's boss he wasn't on duty now and he needed to loosen up anyway.

"Did I ever tell you the time I managed to tie a cherry in a knot with my tongue," Joe said to Sweets.

"No," Sweets said, totally unperturbed as to the fact that it was his boss asking the question.

"See once in college I managed to tie a cherry in a knot with my tongue to impress a girl," Joe said.

"That's a good story," Sweets said.

"I know," Joe said.

Okay so they may have been a little more than slightly drunk.

"Do you think I should marry Dai-sy?" Sweets said.

"Sure," Joe said, "Why not?"

"I don't know why not," Sweets said, "That's the problem. It feels like there should be a why not but I can't find one. I wonder if maybe I lost it? It could be under something. Help me look."

So Joe and Sweets spent the next ten minutes of their lives looking for Sweets' insecurities and commitment issued under furniture until they forgot what they were doing and went back to sitting and talking about odd things.

Max wasn't drunk but he had had a few drinks and was feeling very at peace with the world. He was watching Sweets and Joe with amusement. He couldn't wait to tell the sober versions of Joe and Sweets what there drunk selves had been doing.

"Maybe I should have planned a dry party so I could partake in the fun too," Angela said after watching everyone around her get drunker and happier all night long.

"They aren't happier though," Jack said reading the reason for her annoyance off her face. Sometimes Angela was amazed how well Jack seemed to know her. "They are droning there sorrows in alcohol while we are happy sober."

"Even so," Angela said, "You promise to stay sober so I have someone to talk to?"

"Yes," Jack said.

Meanwhile Booth had given Cam the job of keeping Jared out of the alcohol and though she had not been keen on the idea she was willing to go along with it because it was Booth's wedding and he should be about to enjoy it without having to worry about his brother all the time.

"I am not going to drink anything," Jared said, "so you can stop hovering."

"Fine then, let's not call it hovering," Cam said, "Let's call it revenge for trying to hit on me earlier."

"Hitting on single girls is what you do at weddings," Jared said, "Is my fault that there are only two single girls here?"

Cam sighed. "What have I gotten myself into," she thought.

Though Angela was ever vigilant Booth and Brennan managed to sneak out toward the end of the party and ran out into the bright streets of Vegas.

"You want to go back to the hotel?" Booth asked Brennan.

"No," Brennan said, "I want to go on a honeymoon."

"Really?" Booth said, "I thought you didn't like those either?"

"Yeah well I thought I wouldn't like a big wedding but I guess I was wrong cause that was the best thing that has even happened to me."

"Right back at you," Booth said smiling, "but that wasn't a very big wedding. It only had a dozen guests."

"Fine," Brennan said, "Then it was a big wedding to me okay."

"Okay," Booth said, then after a moment of silence added in a sober tone, "How come you never told me you always knew before now?"

"I didn't know how to bring it up and I have never been good at talking about my feelings," Brennan said, "but once you ended your speech with 'you already know all that' the memory of first meeting you came back to me and I knew I had to tell you."

"So you have been bottling up your feelings every day since I have known you?" Booth said, "That must have been horrible."

"I got used to it," Brennan said.

"You could have just come with me that night," Booth said, "We could have been together all this time."

"You still don't get it," Brennan said, turning to look at Booth, "that is why I didn't go with you. As soon as you told me about your gambling problem I knew you were serious; I knew you were the kind of guy that got married and settled down. As I said I wasn't looking for the one. I just wanted to dispel the attraction I felt for you by engaging in meaningless intercourse. If we had slept together that first night you would have never seen me again."

"But we weren't finished the case at that point," Booth pointed out, "Surely I would have seen you till the case ended."

"Yeah I guess but instead of having a falling out due to great chemistry and conflicting personalities I would have just left and not come back."

"Then I am glad you went home in a cab all those years ago," Booth said.

"Me too," Brennan said, looping her arm around Booth's.

After a few moments of quite walking, arms intertwined, in the direction of the hotel they started up a conversation again.

"It is beautiful here," Brennan said, "though not in a typical way."

"What do you mean?"

"It is bright and spectacular to look at but if you look closely you see dirt and human filth."

"Yeah I guess so," Booth said, "But it's not like we are going to live here."

"I know," Brennan said, "I was just thinking about where I want to go for our honeymoon."

"Really?" 

"Yeah. I was thinking somewhere with natural beauty instead of human beauty. Maybe a cabin in the woods, or by a beach. What do you think?"

"As long as you are there I don't care where we go."

"Well that's not much help," Brennan said, annoyed.

"I know but that is my opinion on the topic, sorry."

Brennan laughed.

"Fine than I am going to surprise you," she said.

Brennan and Booth decided it would be rude to leave without telling everyone where they were so they went back to the hotel for the night. Emma and Hayley were already in bed when Booth and Brennan got to the hotel. They had taken the scenic route back, since they were in no hurry and Brennan wanted to see more of Vegas. Russ and Amy were up and playing cards when Booth and Brennan arrived and asked if they could join.

A sober and annoyed Jared showed up with Cam about three hands of cards later and though Cam joined in, Jared didn't.

Angela and Hodgins showed up soon after Cam and Jared, but went straight to bed being exhausted from all the wedding organizing, and in Angela's case pregnancy.

By the time Joe and Sweets showed up with Max in a taxi Amy and Russ had gone to bed and Cam, Brennan and Booth were about to join them.

"I couldn't find something," Sweets was saying lazily as he came in supported by Max, "I think it had to do with cherries." He was speaking very quietly and slurring his words.

"Yeah," Joe said. He was walking behind Max having not gotten quite drunk enough to prevent him from walking, "I remember cherries."

"Dad," Brennan said once she say the state Joe and Sweets were in, "How much did you let them drink?"

"I didn't let them drink anything," Max said, "They are adults after all."

"Yeah but when they can no longer stand you would think you'd cut them off."

"Maybe I should have," Max said. Then he smiled and added, "Earlier they were looking for Sweet's commitment issues under furniture."

"That's what I was looking for," Sweets said, "Do you think it got here before us?"

Sweets made to start looking for something again but as soon as he was no longer being held up by Max he fell over.

"Why can't I stand?" Sweets asked.

"Because you are intoxicated," Brennan said loudly.

"That sounds bad," Sweets said, "Is it contagious?"

Booth and Max both laughed at this but Brennan didn't see why it was funny.

"I think you should put him to bed, dad," Brennan said.

"Definitely," Max said still laughing.

"Why is Sweeeets on the ground?" Joe asked.

"I'll take Joe dad," Brennan said because she knew putting his own drunken boss to bed would be too much for Booth.

The next morning Hayley and Emma were up around eight and their parents were up soon after. Cam and Jared having gone to bed early and sober were up with the girls. Booth, Brennan and Max were up around nine having stayed up to help Joe and Sweets. Hodgins was up soon after Booth and Brennan put Angela slept in till ten. Joe and Sweets were still asleep at noon.

"Do you think they are ever going to get up?" Jared said annoyed. He wished he could have gotten drunk last night too.

"They will be up when they are up," Cam said.

Angela came over to the table Cam and Jared were sitting at to eat her lunch.

"So when do you guys have to be home?" she asked.

Jared shrugged.

"I think Joe wants us back to work on Monday," Cam said.

"Today is Saturday so that doesn't leave us much time to explore Vegas," Angela said.

"I guess not," Cam said, "But I don't think everyone will want to do that anyway. Emma and Hayley already missed two days of school for this. I don't think Russ and Amy will want them to miss more. And remember our 'boss' is currently hung over and passed out in the next room so I don't think he can get mad at us for not being at work on Monday." Cam smiled.

"That's a good point," Angela said, "I should ask Russ and Amy if they need to go back early." Angela made to stand up and remembered her sore feet. "Or maybe I will get Jack to do it," Angela said smiling.

"Jack," Angela called from across the room, "Can you ask Russ and Amy when they have to leave so we can book them a flight."

"Sure," Jack said and got up.

"Being pregnant has its advantages," Angela whispered to Cam, "Even if my feet hurt."

"Yeah but you know Hodgins would have done that for you anyway right?" Cam said.

"Ruin my fun why don't you," Angela answered.

"My head," came a miserable voice from the next room.

"I think the hung over and passed out boss is now just a hung over boss," Cam chuckled.

"Someone turn the lights off before my head explodes" came another miserable sounding voice from the same room.

"And there's Sweets."

It turned out that Russ and Amy did want to have Emma and Hayley in school on Monday so Hodgins decided he would book them tickets for Sunday morning. He then went the extra mile and asked everyone else when they wanted to leave. Cam, Sweets and Joe said they wanted to be home for work Monday as well though Joe and Sweets made Hodgins whisper his question. Jared said he was going to stay in Vegas for a while but Booth said he was going with Cam on Sunday. Since Cam had succeeded in keeping Jared sober at the reception, Booth had decided she was a good influence on his brother. Cam was not fond of the idea but kept repeating to herself "it's his wedding, whatever makes him happy, it's his wedding," till she could put a smile on her face. Max said he would leave whenever Brennan did and so Hodgins assumed Brennan would deal with his fare.

After Hodgins knew what everyone else was doing he went to talk to his wife.

"To sum up the air fare everyone except Booth, Brennan and Max is going home tomorrow morning."

"Great," Angela said.

"So when do you want to leave?"

"I think we should go tomorrow morning too," Angela said, "They don't let you fly during your third trimester and I don't want to be stuck here."

"Okay," Hodgins said, "I will go book the flights."

Ever since the wedding Max had been waiting for the chance to talk to Brennan alone but there were so many people around that Brennan never seemed to be alone. So he decided to stay behind and fly home later than everyone else. He knew the newly-weds would want some alone time but still wanted to talk to Brennan alone first.

The next morning almost everyone got up early and left, leaving just Booth, Brennan and Max.

"Dad you don't have to say," Brennan said kindly.

"I know," Max said, "But unlike everyone else I have nowhere else I need to be so… you are stuck with me."

Brennan smiled.

"So what are you planning on doing next?" Max said, "Since you didn't go back to work with the others."

"We are going to go—" Booth said.

"On a honeymoon," Brennan finished Booth's sentence.

Max smiled and asked "Where?"

"Don't know yet," Brennan said, "I was thinking somewhere remote."

"When are you going?" Max asked.

"Soonish," Booth said, "We told Joe before he left that we were going to take some time off so we are free to go anywhere and do anything."

Max realized then that Booth wasn't going to leave. It seemed to Max that Booth was hovering around the living room. Brennan and Max were sitting on the coach.

"Booth," Max said, "Do you think I could have a word with Tempe? I know she will probably tell you everything later but I just don't know how to say it with you around."

"Sure," Booth said after looking at Brennan for confirmation that this is what she wanted.

"What is it dad?" Brennan asked once Booth left the room.

"I just wanted to talk to you about… children," Max said. "I know you have always said that you don't want any but I think you would be a great mother. And now that you have a wonderful husband I thought I could try on more time to convince you of the joys of parenthood." Max paused and asked, "Why are you laughing?"

"Because you are too late," Brennan said.

"You mean you are already—" Max started to say but was interrupted by Brennan.

"No, but I have already decided to try," Brennan said and then corrected herself with a smile, "We have decided."

"That's wonderful!" Max said and hugged his daughter. Once he let go of Brennan he said, "I will get out of your hair now. I know having a dad around is probably not a good way to start a honeymoon."

Brennan put her hands around her father's hands and looked him in the eye and said, "You are always welcome dad."

Max had already started to tear of when Brennan talked of having a child, but now he was really crying. He hugged Brennan again.

After Max finished crying and packing he left. And once he was gone Brennan told Booth what her father had wanted to talk about.

"You know," Booth said when Brennan was done explaining, "of all the people I have ever arrested your father is my favourite."

Brennan hit him, gently.

"What was that for," Booth said.

Brennan just smiled up at her husband, put her arms around him and kissed him enthusiastically. It didn't take long for Booth to forget all about his question.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

In the end Brennan decided she would rather go to a beach than a forest. She based this decision on the fact that it was warmer on beaches than in forests so not wearing a lot of clothes would be easier.

"Are you doing to tell me where we are going?" Booth asked his new wife while they were sitting in the airport on Monday afternoon.

"I could," Brennan said, "But that would ruin the surprise. Are you sure you want me to do that?"

Booth opened his mouth to say 'yes' when Brennan looked up at him. The look on her face made him reconsider this answer.

"Do you want to surprise me?"

Brennan nodded slightly.

"Okay then," Booth said, "Let the suspense continue."

About five hours later a very confused Booth got out of a plane and found himself in a suspiciously familiar place.

"I don't mean to be a spoil sport Tempe, but isn't this where we started?" Booth said once he recognized the land marks.

"Yep," Brennan said, "This is Washington, DC."

"Okay," Booth said tentatively, "so you just want to have our honeymoon in your apartment then?"

"Nope," Brennan said, "This is just a stop along the way." And with that she pulled Booth along to another plane and off they went.

When Booth got off this plane he didn't know where he was. For starters the airport was tiny. He had never seen a smaller airport in his life. Brennan rented a car for them and they started driving. Booth had no clue where they were going though. He didn't even know where he was now? The dirt was a reddish hue that seemed to Booth to be unnatural. He could hear the sound of crashing water far away. The air seemed to be thick. There were no big buildings and a lot of the road weren't even paved.

"Where are we?" Booth asked when he had given up trying to figure it out.

"PEI," Brennan said.

"PEI?" Booth said, "I have never heard of such a country."

"That's because it isn't a country," Brennan said

"But I know we went out of the US. I had to get my passport stamped," Booth said.

Brennan nodded and said, "PEI is a province."

"A province?" Booth said, "As in a province of Canada?"

"Yep," Brennan said.

Booth got a glazed look on his face and didn't say anything else.

"PEI stands for Prince Edward Island," Brennan said.

"Wait a minute," Booth said, "We are on an island? There is an island with an airport?"

"Yes," Brennan said, "Why are you so raddled by this?"

"I don't know," Booth said.

Brennan sighed.

"I have booked us a small house on a beach of a month," Brennan said, "There is room service and house cleaning. I am sure you will be fine."

"Why is the sand red?" Booth asked, as they were walking over scarlet sand toward their house.

"The Island is formed from sedimentary bed rock of soft, red sandstone which produces the rich, red soil," Brennan said, "The redness of the soil is due to the high iron-oxide content."

"When you say iron-oxide you mean…"

"Rust."

"Then why didn't you say rust in the first place," Booth asked.

Brennan just smiled.

They walked in silence tell they reached the front poach of their temporary home. There they looked out over the Atlantic Ocean.

"You know Canada or not, the view sure is amazing," Booth said.

"So that is your issue," Brennan said, "You don't like Canada."

"It's not that I don't like, it's just that I…" Booth said, "That was sarcasm wasn't it?"

"Took you a while."

The rest of Monday went by fast. They unpacked, went out for dinner and came home. The next morning when they woke up Brennan remembered something.

"Do you realize," Brennan said while she was lying in bed next to her husband, "That one week ago today I proposed to you?"

"You know what," Booth said, "I hadn't."

After a moment of thought Booth added in a small voice, "Do you regret it?"

Brennan pulled herself out of Booth's arms and turned to look at him with anger on her face.

"What made you say that?" she said.

"I don't know," Booth said a little overwhelmed by Brennan's reaction, "It's just that as long as I have known you, you have talked of never wanting to get married and here you are married… to me."

Brennan sighed and laid back down on the bed.

"You realize now that we've come full circle," Brennan said snuggling up next to Booth once more.

"What do you mean?" Booth asked.

"In the beginning I was the one with insecurities that you had to try and quill and now here you are with insecurities I must quill." Brennan smiled.

Booth just looked at her hoping for an answer to his question.

Brennan could tell Booth was still looking for an answer. She sat up in bed and leaned down over Booth. She moved her hand down the side of Booth's face as said softly, "Don't you listen to anything I say?"

"I listen to everything you say," Booth said softly. He had his eyes closed.

"Then you must have been listening last Tuesday night when I proposed to you," Brennan said.

"I was."

"Then you already know the answer to your question," Brennan said. She removed her hand from Booth's temple so he could think and went to the kitchen.

Booth kept his eyes closed and thought of what Brennan had said.

Twenty minutes later Brennan came back. Booth still has his eyes closed and was lying down with his hands over his face. Brennan went over to him and wafted the smell of bacon under his nose. Booth's eyes snapped open and he sat up.

"I smell bacon," he said. Brennan handed him the tray and sat next to him.

"Why didn't you make one for yourself?" Booth asked.

"Think about it," Brennan said, "How could I carry two trays."

"Right."

"But you are going to share with me," Brennan said.

Booth turned the tray toward Brennan.

When they were done eating Brennan asked, "Did you figure it out?"

"I tried," Booth said, "but though I listen to everything you say, I don't always understand everything you say."

Brennan laughed and said, "Okay then I will tell you."

Booth waited. Brennan smiled.

"I love you," Brennan said.

"That's it?" Booth said.

"Yes," Brennan said grinning.

"But you didn't say that the night you proposed."

"Not in so many words," Brennan said, "But I have been telling you that in not so many words for almost half a decade now so I thought it was time to say it in so many words."

"So that's why you don't regret marring me," Booth said, "Cause you love me?"

Brennan leaned down and kissed Booth.

"I will take that as a yes," Booth said. Brennan smiled.

"There is something else I want to do because I love you," Brennan said more seriously now.

"What?"

"Throw this out," Brennan said. She held up a small plastic case. It was blue and white and didn't look that remarkable, until Booth realized what it was.

"Your birth control?"

"Yes," Brennan said.

"I thought I would just throw this out and then we would see what happened. No thinking too hard about it or hoping and being let down. Let's just have our honeymoon and whatever happens, happens."

Booth smiled.

"I didn't realize you loved me so much," he said.

"Me neither," Brennan replied.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Booth and Brennan ended up spending the whole month in PEI on their honeymoon. After it was over they went back home and went back to work. Though Brennan was willing to stop drinking, reduce her caffeine intake, eat better and take lots of vitamins in case she was pregnant, she wasn't willing to stop working. Her argument was that just because they had had unprotected sex for a month did not mean for certain that she was pregnant. She said she would consider taking time off if and when they knew for sure.

It was only after this argument that Booth realized how much work getting Brennan though a pregnancy would be. And of course once Booth realized how hard it would be Brennan started puking on a regular basis. They went to the doctor and he confirmed Brennan was two months pregnant.

Once Brennan knew she was pregnant Booth found it easier to get her to stay in the lab though she still wasn't happy about it. She would always worry about Booth by passing up and down the lab when he was out on an assignment. He let her go into the interrogation room as long as there was no danger, but they were still both annoyed at the circumstances; Booth missed having Brennan around in the field and Brennan missed being in the field.

It wasn't until Angela and Hodgins had their baby that both Booth and Brennan stopped thinking about all the little things. When they saw Angela holding her child they both knew what they had to do.

Booth and Brennan both took Brennan's last trimester off. Joe wasn't happy about it but he really couldn't do anything to stop them.

Brennan had the baby with Booth standing right beside her, holding her hand. Actually she almost broke his hand but he didn't complain once. The nurse tried to give Brennan her newborn but Brennan told the nurse to hand the baby to Booth. Brennan knew she was bad with children and didn't think her own would be an exception. She didn't want to hold her child wrong and therefore cause her harm, but Booth and the nurse were insistent that Brennan hold the baby.

Booth decided that Brennan needed baby lesson and he tried to give her a few while they were in the hospital but it didn't go as well as Booth would have liked.

"Hold her head," Booth was telling Brennan for what felt like the hundredth time.

"You take her back," Brennan said, "I don't have the patience." Brennan handed the baby to Booth.

Booth held his daughter in his arms. He could never remember being happier. Though he had been over joyed when Parker was born this was better. He was married to the mother. He would get to see this baby every day for the rest of his life or at least for the next two decades. He wasn't only going to see her every other week-end.

"She needs a name," Brennan said, lying back down on the bed. She was sore though she had been through worse.

"I think you already named her," Booth said.

"No I haven't."

"You said you didn't have the patience."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Let's name her Patience."

Brennan was silent for a while then said, "What if she asks when she is older why her name is Patience and we have to tell her it's because her mother is unfeeling?"

Booth laughed.

"That is not what you are Tempe," Booth said, "If she asks we will tell her she is called Patience because her mother is the singularly most unique person I have ever met."

"Well when you put it like that," Brennan said.

"So you agree?"

"Yeah," Brennan said, she heard a loud voice from the other room and added, "You should probably let everyone in now before they break down the door."

Holding his new daughter in one muscular arm Booth opened the door with his other arm and let his father-in-law, his brother-in-law, his brother and his friends into the ward.

Once everyone was there Brennan realized something.

"We are going to have to choose her last name too," she said while Patience was being passed around and Booth was nervously following whoever had her.

"What do you mean," Booth said not looking away from Patience in Cam's arms as he answered. He and Cam were on the other side of the room from Brennan.

"Is she going to be Patience Brennan or Patience Booth?" Brennan said loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear her.

The room went very quiet. Booth looked up.

"Huh Honey," Max said as he went over to his daughters bed, "I hate to break it to you but even if wife's don't change their names children usually get their fathers surnames."

"Well I am not usually," Brennan said matter of fact-ly.

Booth took Patience back from Cam and went over to Brennan's bed.

"What do you think," Brennan asked Booth once he was at her bed side.

"I think that—" Booth was about to say that he agreed with Max when the look in Brennan's eye changed his mind. This really seemed to matter to her. "I think that you carried her for nine months so you can pick."

Brennan smiled. Cam came back over wanting to hold the baby. Booth handed Patience over to Cam and then followed Cam as she walked back to the other side of the room.

"Man you have that guy under your control," Max said.

Brennan smiled.

"The weird thing is that I really don't," Brennan said, "He just wants me to be happy so he is willing to let me have my way as long as he doesn't really mind one way or the other. Cause believe me when he does care he fights."

"I am sure he does," Max said, "So what do you want to do?"

"I think," Brennan said looking affectionately over at her husband hovering protectively over her baby daughter, "that we should give her Booth's name."

Before Max could say anything Brennan turned around to glare at her dad, "Especially since my name is fake anyway."

Max gave his daughter a 'my bad' look and they both turned to watch everyone gush over Patience.

When it was only Booth, Brennan and Patience left the nurse came over with Patience's birth certificate for them to fill out.

"What did you decide?" Booth asked Brennan once the nurse left.

"I think she should have your name," Brennan said, "but not because that is the socially acceptable thing to do. Because if it wasn't for you I never would have wanted her."

Booth smiled and went to fill in the certificate when he realized, "She needs a middle name."

"How about Joy," Brennan said, "It was my original name and it is what she will be to us."

"Perfect."

The weeks went by. Patience got old enough that she could hold up her own head and Brennan felt it was safe for her to be left alone with the baby. Booth hadn't gone to work since the start of Brennan's third trimester, but Brennan had started to go mad about two weeks after Patience was born and had thus decided she had to go back to work. Booth made her promise not to go out into the field, so she just stayed in the lab.

Booth loved being left alone with his daughter. He loved the fact that he was the one who knew more for a change. But he did miss Brennan was she was at work all day. And though it was hard for anyone but Booth to tell, Brennan missed Booth too, so one day she decided to surprise him by coming home early.

"Booth," Brennan called as she came in, "Patience."

"We are in here," Booth said from the bedroom.

As Brennan went toward their room she heard something that she couldn't quite place. And as she got closer she realized what it was and was immediately annoyed.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Brennan asked her husband.

"Trying to get Patience to sleep," Booth said confused.

"By doing…that?"

"What?"

"Treating her like an idiot."

"Okay honey you lost me," Booth said, "What was I doing?"

"You were making stupid sounds and speaking what I am going to have to guess is a made up language."

"So…"

"So why are you treating our daughter like a monkey?"

Booth sighed.

"It's called baby-talk," Booth said consolingly.

"Okay," Brennan said, "but that doesn't answer my question: why are you dumbing her down to _that_?"

"I am not dumbing anyone down," Booth said, "Baby's love funny noises. It is harmless."

"Hardly," Brennan said, "You know that children learn speech by copying adults' right?"

Booth nodded.

"Then you are teaching her how to speak incorrectly."

"She is too young to learn to speak, Tempe."

"We don't know how old children are before they start picking up language," Brennan argued, "What little study there has been done on the subject is not conclusive."

Booth sighed again, and then looked down at Patience.

"Will you look at that," he said, "our fighting has put her to sleep."

"That does it," Brennan said, "You've warped her mind."

Booth laughed. He pulled his wife in close; his arms wrapped around her, and whispered in her ear, "You know it may have been her mother's presence that put her to sleep. I think Patience misses you. I miss you."

Brennan lay against him and sighed.

"I missed you both too," she whispered, "How are we going to do this?"

"I don't know. Maybe we will just have to live with it till Patience is old enough for day care, or you could stay here with me instead of going off to work all the time."

"Or," Brennan said turning around in Booths arms, "You could bring her into work."

"I don't think that is a good idea," Booth said.

"Maybe hearing all the intelligent talk of the Jeffersonian will counteract you talking to her like a monkey?" Brennan said seriously.

Booth burst out laughing. What Brennan had said in contrast to the way she had said it was just too much for him.

Booth shaking underneath her gave Brennan an idea.

"What here, now?" Booth asked glancing down at their sleeping daughter.

Brennan started kissing Booth's neck and he took it as a "yes here, and now."

"I just don't get how you think talking baby talk will warp her mind and this won't?" Booth said while Brennan undressed him.

Brennan was lying on Booth's chest while Booth was moving his hand up and down her arm. They were under a blanket with little pink ducky on it; they were lying on the floor of their daughter's bedroom. Patience was still asleep.

"How are we going to do this?" Booth asked.

"I will cut down on my work," Brennan said, "You will bring Patience into work every now and then. And once Patience is old enough for school we will both go back to work but one or both of us will always be home in the evening."

"That sound doable," Booth said, "When did you come up with that?"

"While we were lying here."

"Good," Booth said, "For a second there I thought you had been thinking about time tables when I was… trying to make you happy."

Brennan rested her chin on her husband's chest so she could turn her face and look him in the eye.

Brennan smiled at him, "So you didn't enjoy it at all then?" she said slyly.

Booth looked really annoyed. "What would make you say a thing like that?"

"Well if you were only in it to please me than how could you have possibly have enjoyed it?" Brennan said trying to stifle a giggle.

Booth noted the giggle. "Ha ha very funny," he said.

"Hey you're the one that phrased your answer in such a way as to make it impossible for me to not mock you."

Booth sighed. "I wonder what grief other men get from their wives."

Though they still saw less of each other than they were used to Brennan's plan worked well enough for them to get by till Patience was old enough for daycare. Brennan originally wanted to wait till Patience was in kindergarten but she found she missed her old job too much. Even though Booth was giving up his whole working life while Brennan was only giving up half, Brennan still seemed more eager to get back to work than Booth did.

Even so both of them were back at work three weeks after Patience's fourth birthday. She went to day care form nine till three and either Booth or Brennan picked her up at three and went and stayed home with her. Sometimes they both went home. And every now and then they had to ask Cam, Angela, Hodgins or Sweets to pick her up because there was a huge emergency or a still breathing victim that created a time issue.

_The name Patience and the story line about baby-talk are both credited to the DeviantArt user JessamynVampyreDream and her short stories on DA about Patience._


	20. Epilogue or Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"But mom," Patience said, "You'll embarrass me. No one else is bringing their mother."

"What about if your dad goes with you instead," Brennan asked her thirteen year old daughter.

"That would be even worse," Patience said, "Daddy won't even know what they are talking about."

"But I don't want you to go alone," Brennan said.

Brennan and Patience were standing in their living room arguing. They were expecting Booth home any minute.

"I am not a kid anymore, Mom," Patience said, "I can go by myself."

"Honey," Brennan said, "I know you are older now and I am proud of you for wanting to be independent but you are still too young to go by yourself."

"Arrrrrrggg," Patience screamed, "You never left me do anything." And with that Patience stormed off to her room and slammed the door.

Booth came in a little while later and saw his wife sitting on the coach with her head in her hands. He sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"She hates me," Brennan said grabbing hold of her husband's hand.

"No she doesn't," Booth said, "She loves you. She is just mad. All kids say things they don't mean."

Brennan looked unconvinced so Booth tried again.

"Remember when you were mad at your father? You wouldn't listen to him and you kept trying to arrest him." Brennan nodded.

"But did you ever, could you ever, really have hated him?"

"No," Brennan said, "No I couldn't have."

Booth smiled. "Patience doesn't hate you."

Patience had slammed her door but once the door was closed she had pressed her ear to the door to listen in on her parent's conversation. She knew she shouldn't have but she just hated not knowing what was going on.

That's one of the reasons why she wanted to go to the retreat this week-end. She was in a senior academic group at school and they were going on a retreat but all her friends were old enough to go by themselves.

She hated not being taken seriously; she got enough of it at school when she corrected a senior student or sometimes the teacher and everyone figured she was just trying to get attention.

Patience removed her ear from the door. She'd hear all she needed to: her parents weren't going to let her go but they felt really bad about it.

Though she knew she wanted to go on the retreat alone and was still mad at her mom—and now her dad for agreeing with her mom—she was also feeling really guilty. She loved her parents dearly even if they were always stopping her from doing the things she wanted to do. Once she thought about her parents and the many embarrassments they had caused her over the years she couldn't help thinking more about it.

All her life Patience wanted to walk home from school with her friends but her parents insisted on her getting picked up. So instead of getting to hang out with her friends for an extra forty minutes while walking and talking with them she had to wait at school for her ride while all her friends left.

Then only last year they had further cramped her style by showing up to a school dance. The worse part wasn't that they showed up though. It wasn't even that they tried to take her home. It was that they made everyone go home. They turned off the music and told everyone the dance was over. Patience had to endure weeks of remarks like "Hey wasn't it your parents that trashed the dance" and "I really don't want to go. Maybe we can get Patience parents to come and shut it down before we get there."

She still didn't really know why her parents had done any of these things. The only thing she had ever been able to come up with was that it had something to do with her parent's job. She knew they worked together and that to judge by their behaviour it was dangerous but she didn't know why or how. But what dangerous job could possibly have anything to do with her school dance or walking home with her friends?

Once Patience really thought about it she realized there were a lot more incidence like this than she thought and the more she thought about it the less guilty she felt.

"Daddy will make sure Mommy doesn't think I hate her," Patience thought to herself remembering Booth comforting Brennan, "And it isn't even that big a deal. I mean I am going to academic retreat with math and homework and stuff. There are lots of other teens doing worse. I'll make it up to them when I get back."

Booth and Brennan were still talking on the coach not knowing that their only child was currently packing for the retreat she wasn't allowed to go on.

"What are we going to do," Brennan asked Booth, "She can't go at least not alone."

"I know," Booth said, "You don't think Max would go with her do you?"

"Yeah he might," Brennan said, "But he is getting old. I don't think him alone would be enough though."

"What if we hired someone to go with him?" Booth asked, "Patience wouldn't know them so she shouldn't be embarrassed."

"Maybe," Brennan said, "But I never trust people doing something purely for money. They are too easily swayed."

"Yeah but our only other option is to tell her no," Booth said, "And I really don't want to do that."

"Me neither but I don't see another…" Brennan paused and her voice changed from melancholy to hopeful, "We could tell her _why_ she can't go."

"Do you think she is old enough," Booth asked.

"Yes," Brennan said, "She is very mature for her age."

"Okay then," Booth said.

But when Booth and Brennan went to their daughter's room she wasn't there. There was however a note. It read:

_Dear Mom and Dad_

_ I am not running away. I will be back on Sunday night. I love you both so don't ever think that I don't, but I really want to go on this retreat. See you when I get back._

_ Patience_

Brennan went weak in the knees. Booth just looked over the letter like there had to be some mistake. Once he had determined it really was his daughters hand writing and she was really gone he went into a full on lets-fit-the-problem mode.

"Okay she can't have left that long ago," he said, "We can still find her."

Brennan didn't say anything.

"Tempe," Booth said turning Brennan to face him, "snap out of it we have work to do."

"It's too late," Brennan said in a weak voice, "we failed. She is gone."

"What do you mean we failed," Booth said, "Why aren't you helping me?"

"It is no use," Brennan said in an even fainter voice, "I was worried this would happen. I know I would be no good at this."

And Booth suddenly knew what his wife was talking about. He turned her around to face him and looked her straight in the eye.

"You are a wonderful mother," he said, "We have not failed. But our daughter is in danger and we have to find her. You have to help me find her."

This did something to pull Brennan back but she still looked ill as she got up and followed Booth.

Booth and Brennan checked bus stops all around their house. They talked to a driver that remembered seeing a girl Patience's age take his bus not ten minutes before they got there. The driver told them the bus route.

When they got to the bus stop where Patience should have gotten off, if she was going to the retreat, she wasn't there.

"Where could she have gone?" Brennan said.

"The only bus that comes here between the time she got here and now goes in the opposite direction from the retreat," Booth said, "So unless she didn't know where she was going she should be here."

What little confidence Booth had managed to in still in Brennan was now gone. Her knees gave out again. Booth caught her and tried to steer her toward the bench, but Brennan pushed him away and collapsed to the ground.

What little part of Booth's mind that wasn't thinking about this daughter was thinking about his wife. He would never have thought Brennan would break down like this. She was always so cool in a crisis. Why was he the one thinking logically?

"I think we should assume she got lost and check out that other bus stop," Booth said. This renewed hope was just barely enough to get Brennan up again.

But Patience hadn't gotten lost and she would have been at that bus stop if certain people hadn't been tipped off that Booth and Brennan's daughter was out by herself.

"Where are you taking me?" Patience asked in a panicked voice.

"Please let me go," she said when no one had answered her first question. But since her second question also went unanswered she wasn't even sure if there was anyone else with her.

While Booth and Brennan were looking hopelessly around the only other bus stop their daughter could possibly be at, Booth's phone rang. He thought about ignoring it—whatever they had to say couldn't be more important than finding his daughter—but then he thought what if the phone call was about Patience and answered the phone.

"Hello," Booth said.

"I have your daughter," said a computerized voice.

Booth motioned for Brennan to move closer to the phone so she could hear.

"She is unharmed and will stay that way if you do exactly as I say," the voice continued, "Don't tell anyone I contacted you, including the authorities. Stop working the Childnapper case and never go back and work it again. We will know if you do. However if you ever reopen the case we will find her again."

The other side hung up.

Booth and Brennan just looked at each other with the same look of determination on their face.

"What do you want with me?" Patience was screaming to no one since she was now sure there was no one in the back of this car with her. It would have been simpler if her kidnapped would just tell her what was going on but it looked like she was just going to have to figure it out on her own.

She stopped screaming and started thinking like her mother had always taught her.

"Okay," Patience thought, "I don't know why I have been kidnapped, where I am or what they want. So what do I know?"

She was in the back of a car to judge by the movement of whatever she was sitting on. She didn't know what it was since she was blindfolded and her hands were bound. She remembered seeing a stranger come to wait at the bus stop with her and then nothing until she woke up so she must have been drugged. Maybe a tranquillizer dart? Or some kind of gas?

But that still didn't answer any of her questions. Why was she worth kidnapping in the first place? Who had done it what did they want with her?

"They must have just picked me at random," Patience thought, "I mean what other explanation is there? But then again what are the chances that the first time I went out on her own I am randomly kidnapped?"

But Patience didn't have any more time to ponder the reasons for her abduction because she suddenly felt the car stop. She heard the door open and someone moving.

"Come," said a deep male voice.

Patience was pulled bodily from the car and made to walk. But at least there was someone to ask her questions to now.

"Why did you kidnap me?" Patience asked.

"Oh so you don't know?" said a slightly higher but still male voice.

"Know what?" Patience said.

"Your parents," the higher voice said, "They have been poking around where I don't want them too. They are the only ones to ever get even this close but now they will back off."

"You are blackmailing my parents!" Patience said. The higher voice laughed at his captive's frustration but he wouldn't be laughing long.

Patience was furious. She couldn't see anything, she as in an unknown location and she was a small thirteen year old girl while they were both full grown men but her mother hadn't put her in self-defence classes all her life for nothing.

She knew where the two kidnappers were from listening to their voices. She estimated that the one with the higher voice was most likely in charger and thus made him her target.

It only took her seconds to think that though and then she spun on the spot turned to face the higher voice and charged.

She felt her head and shoulders contact with a stomach and heard all the air leave the man's lungs. She pulled her head across his stomach till her blind fold caught on a button and was pulled off.

She could see again.

It only took her a split second to take in her surroundings.

The guy she had knocked over was in a suit. She had winded him and he was lying on the ground. She surmised from how the other guy was looking down at the suit guy that the suit guy really was the boss. The other guy was wearing black non-descript clothing. Patience figured he was the muscle for hire.

"Do what I say and I will insure that you still get paid," Patience said commanding more authority than a thirteen year old girl should be able to.

The non-descript guy took just long enough to think it over that Patience was about to take a better look around her and think about what to do next.

She was standing in an ally of some sort. There was a medal building on her left and a brink one on her right. The car she had been in was actually a van and it was parked just a little bit behind them toward the street. She didn't dare turn her head to look behind her but she could guess that it was more ally.

"Nah," non-descript guy said, "You can't afford me."

"My mother is rich," Patience said.

This again gave the thug pause but unfortunately the suit guy was quickly getting over being winded.

"Seize her," the suit guy said from the ground.

Patience was more manoeuvrable and agile than the thug. She ducked under his swinging arm and with her hands still bound behind her back she ran for the van.

The thug wasn't quite as dumb as he looked however. Once he knew she was getting away he sprang into action.

With her hands bound behind her back Patience couldn't run very fast. The thug caught up with her as she was trying to get into the van.

"You are mine," the thug said, "Where do you want her boss?"

"Carry her," the suit guy said, "apparently it is too dangerous to let her walk."

Booth and Brennan got in their car and drove to work. When they got there they went straight to their boss's office.

"We think that Childnapper case if a dud," Brennan said to Joe as soon as she entered the room.

"Yeah," Booth backed her up, "There are no new leads. The trail has gone dry. I think we need to call it on this one, Sir."

"Wait a minute," Joe said, "Just last week you were telling me you were on the verge of cracking the biggest story of your career. A career I might add that has already stopped half a dozen serial killers, the grave digger, and a rouge sniper."

"We got a little over excited," Brennan said, "I think Booth here has been a bad influence on me. I have started jumping to conclusions."

Joe was utterly flabbergasted. This was so unlike them.

"Okay what is going on," Joe said, "I have never seen you two behave like this."

"Nothing is going on," Brennan said, "We are just here to tell you we won't be working the Childnapper case anymore cause we think there are better uses for our time."

"Nope. I am not buying it," Joe said, "What is really going on."

But Booth and Brennan wouldn't say anything else so Joe was forced to go along with what they said. And since he knew that Booth and Brennan were the only ones with a hope in hell of solving this case he couldn't even assign it to anyone else.

After his meeting with Booth and Brennan Joe filed the Childnapper case away but he really didn't want to. If Booth and Brennan had solved this case it would have done wonders for his and their careers. As Joe was wallowing Agent Jenna came into his office.

"Can I help you?" Joe asked.

"I was just wondering if you knew what was up with Booth and Brennan," Jenna said.

"I didn't know you were close," Joe said.

"We aren't but it makes me nervous when the best we have start acting strange. What did they want to talk to you about?"

"They think that Childnapper case is a dud," Joe said, "Which is weird cause last week they were telling me the opposite."

"Yeah that is weird," Jenna said, "What do you think could possibly make them change their minds so quickly?"

"I don't know," Joe said.

"Do you want me to look into it?" Jenna asked.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," Joe said.

"It's no problem, sir," Jenna said.

"Thanks."

And with a smile Agent Jenna left her boss's office.

But Jenna didn't look into it. She went straight to her office to make a phone call.

While the thug carried Patience she knew her one big chance to escape was over. The only thing she could do now was to try and get these two to talk.

"So what is it that my parents are getting so close to anyway," Patience asked.

"Ha like we would just tell you everything," the suit guy said, "How stupid do you think we are?"

"Is that a trick question?" Patience asked.

Suit guy laughed.

"You know what kid," the suit guy said, "I like you. Most kidnapped kids just wine and ask to be released. This is kind of refreshing."

"Humph," Patience said grumpily, though she was secretly smiling. She had gotten him to admit he had abducted kids before.

The suit gut laughed again.

"Ever think of being a comedian kid," the suit said, "You're a natural."

"Thanks but I have bigger plans for my life," Patience said.

"Yeah well if your parents don't come though you won't have to worry about what to do with your life," suit guy said.

Patience didn't have anything to say after that.

There was silence till Patience had been carried deep into the medal building. There she was dumped on the ground.

"Ow," Patience said as she fell on the cold cement.

"Now we are just going to stay here till we hear from your parents," Suit said, "So why don't you just sit quietly and hope your mommy and daddy love."

"I don't need to hope," Patience said, "I know."

"So now what," Brennan said to Booth once Joe was out of earshot.

"I don't know," Booth said, "The voice said they would now if we did as they asked so I guess we just wait."

"I am too riled up to wait," Brennan said, "I want to do something."

"Me too," Booth said, "but what choice do we have?"

"If he knows what we are doing than he must have someone watching us," Brennan said, "Or someone watching Joe's office. If we can find out who…"

"In principle I agree with you Tempe, but what if they find out we are investigating," Booth said soberly.

"Okay," Brennan said, "Let's just go home then."

But before they could do anything Booth's phone rang again.

"You have done as we asked," the computerized voice said, "Your daughter is bound, blindfolded and lying on cold hard cement in a warehouse off the main road. Your phone will receive GPS coordinates when this call ends. Keep up your end of the bargain and she will live a long life. But if you continue to investigate once she is found you will see everything you love die before your eyes."

"It looks like your right," suit guy said after he got off the phone, "Your parents do love you."

"What are you doing to them?" Patience screamed.

"Nothing," suit guy said, "They are doing it to themselves."

Patience was so mad she pulled at the ropes trying to free her hands and feet. Suit guy had decided it was necessary to tie her feet after her little escape attempt. He had however not bothered putting her blind fold back on.

"Now none of that," suit said about her attempts to free herself from her bonds, "I wouldn't want you to sprain your wrist or something."

But Patience didn't stop. She was so mad she was willing to do anything that even inconvenienced this man.

"I said stop," suit guy said in a more annoyed than amused voice.

"NO," Patience said with defiance.

"Fine then," suit said and motioned for thug to help him hold her down.

When suit got close to Patience's face she put all her strength behind her jaw and bit him as hard as she could.

"Ahhhhh," suit said as her teeth went into him and drew blood.

"You stupid girl," suit screamed at Patience and then to this hired muscle he said, "Put her under."

Patience looked down at the needle going into her arm and felt exhaustion creep up on her.

"And clean up that blood," she heard suit say to thug, "We can't leave any evidence behind for her annoying parents to find."

As Patience felt herself drift away she registered one thing: they didn't want to leave blood behind.

She could see thug cleaning just in front of her but he couldn't see all the blood because she still had her kidnapper's blood in her mouth.

As soon as thug's back was turned she used all her straight to move her arm to her mouth and spit into her sleeve.

"Stupid girl," she thought as she passed out, "I have your DNA, you idiot."

Booth and Brennan arrived at the GPS coordinates within minutes of them being sent. They used Booth's siren to get through traffic.

They searched the whole area till they found an unconscious girl lying on the cold ground.

Brennan checked her pulse; it was strong.

"She is alive," Brennan said all the stress leaving her voice.

Booth didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Brennan knew he was feeling exactly the same way she was.

Booth and Brennan untied Patience and moved her gently onto their lap.

Patience woke up a few minutes later.

"Mom? Dad?" she said.

"We are here sweetie," Brennan said.

"Good," Patience said groggily, "Cause we have a lot of work to do."

Patience stood up. She felt a little light headed but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.

"What do you mean work to do?" Booth said.

"Well dad," Patience said, "It is like this. First you are going to tell me exactly what you two do for a living. Second you are going to tell me why this job makes me worth kidnapping and third we are going to catch the people who did this."

"I agree with you on the first two," Brennan said, "But the only way to get you back was to stop trying to catch them."

"I don't care," Patience said, "They made me really mad and now I want to get even."

"Tell us everything that happened," Booth said.

"Fine," Patience said sitting down again, "But after that you are tell me everything."

So Patience explained all about why she had decided to go to the retreat even when they said no, how she had been drugged at the bus stop and woken up in the car, how she had tried to escape and how she had managed to obtain the perps DNA. She showed them her sleeve.

"You shouldn't have tried to escape," Booth said, "We were on our way. You could have gotten hurt."

"Now it is your turn," Patience said ignoring her parents concern.

"Okay," Brennan said, "I am a forensic anthropologist—"

"I knew that already," Patience interrupted.

"That has been working almost exclusively with the FBI for the last 20 years on solving murder investigations. That is where I met your father, your aunts Angela and Daisy, you uncles Hodgins and Sweets and everyone else you see coming over to our house all the time.

"Your father and I have put a lot of people behind bars. Our job is very important but it is not as important as you." Brennan finished.

"Okay," Patience said, "So you are saying all the times I wasn't allowed to go somewhere or you embarrassed me it was because you were trying to catch bad guys?"

"Yes and no," Brennan said, "Sometimes like at your school dance a few years ago we were catching bad guys but sometimes we were protecting you from bad guys."

"Like today," Booth said, "The case we have been working on for the better part of the last decade concerns a child kidnapper as bad as the grave digger was before we caught her."

"Wait a minute," Patience said, "You caught the grave digger!" Booth and Brennan nodded, "Wow that was all over the news."

"We were worried the Childnapper would use you to make us stop working the case," Booth said.

Patience stood up suddenly mad. "And it worked didn't' it?" she said, "You promised not to work the case anymore and now those people are going to go free."

"We can't risk it," Brennan said.

"You mean you can't risk me," Patience said. Her parents nodded.

"Well I can risk me," Patience said "and I want you to keep working the case."

"We can't," Brennan said.

"Sure you can," Patience said, "I have my kidnappers DNA. You must have learned something from the kidnapper's communications. All this has done is given us new leads."

"Honey," Brennan said, "I don't think you realize how dangerous that will be."

"All they would need is one split second opportunity and they would have you," Booth said.

"And how do you know that?" Patience asked her father.

"Cause I was a sniper," Booth said soberly.

Patience didn't know what say to finding out that her father had killed people but she know what she had to say to her mother.

"How many kids besides me has this Childnapper abducted and how many of them survived?"

"Over the last 8 years he has abducted over 20 children. Twelve of them were killed during negotiations," Brennan said.

"And how many more could be hurt if you do nothing?"

Brennan hung her head.

"Mom," Patience said, "I know you want to protect me but there are other children that need protecting too. Children that don't have super cool FBI parents to look after them."

Brennan kept her head down long enough for both her husband and her daughter to notice, but when she lifted her head up she had a look a determination on her face.

"Let's get that sleeve of yours off to the lab," Brennan said.

Patience didn't get to go to her academic retreat but she didn't mind. Instead she spent the next two weeks protected by armed guards in a secret every changing location.

With worrying for their daughter out of the way Booth and Brennan were able to put 110% into the Childnapper case.

Joe was over-joyed when Booth and Brennan came into this office the next day to tell him they were now only working on the Childnapper case. When Joe asked them what had happened and they explained about Patience and how she had made them realize they had to finish it. Joe realized he could possibly owe the solving of the biggest case of the decade to a thirteen year old and made a note to offer her a job in the future if she ever expressed interest in the law enforcement business.

Patience had been right about her abduction giving them new leads. Booth and Brennan were able to track down Agent Jenna by talking to Joe. It turned out Jenna had had her children kidnapped. The Childnapper had threatened to kill them if she didn't spy for them and report back. Booth and Brennan didn't press charges. They knew the desperation of needing ones children returned safely to them.

Cam did a DNA test on the blood Patience retrieved and found a match in the FBI database.

'Suit' as Patience had called him was not the Childnapper however he was another thug for hire.

Booth and Brennan thought that the trail had gone cold there when they got an idea.

"What if we are looking at this all wrong?" Brennan said to Booth. They were in Brennan's office.

"What do you mean?" Booth asked.

"Maybe all these thugs for hired we keep finding aren't actually thugs for hire. What if they are all partners? Sharing in all the ransom money and benefits."

"That would have sense," Booth said, "but there is no way to prove it."

"Sure there is," Brennan said, "Put them in a room together."

So Booth arrested the thug those DNA his daughter had taken, the two thugs Jenna's children had identified and two other thugs that had turned up during the course of their investigation before Patience's kidnapping.

Booth and Brennan were both in the interrogation room when the thugs were brought in.

"We know," Booth said as soon as he entered the interrogation room.

"Know what?" one of the thugs said.

"That you five together are the Childnapper," Brennan said.

"Wow," suit said, "just hang on a minute. You think we are the ones planning all this?"

"Yes," Brennan said, "It was a clever plan being your own scape goat but did you really think we wouldn't have figured it out."

"I don't know what you are talking about man," one of the thugs Jenna's children had identified said, "I just do what I am paid for."

"Yeah you do, but it is what you pay yourself for," Booth said.

"What?" the thug said with a glazed over look on this face.

"What do you want?" suit asked.

"We know and can prove that you all are part of the management involved in the Childnapper case but we know there is at least one more of you, since none of you have enough computer skills to pull of the computerized voice or the scrambling of the phone lines," Booth said. He couldn't really prove they were the management but they didn't know that.

Brennan pulled Booth aside and spoke quietly in his ear.

"They could have hired the tech help they needed, since they are the muscle it makes sense," Brennan said, "and when we go back to the table follow my lead. I have an idea."

Booth nodded ever so slightly.

"So," Brennan said, going back to the table, "We know that all of you are involved and we have enough evidence to press charges but we want the head of your organization. We want your boss, unless of course you just hired the tech help and one of you is the boss."

No one said anything, but everyone was getting very tense. But one of the thugs they had found during the course of their long investigation didn't look as tense as the others. While everyone one else was sweating and looking down at their hands, he was motionless and expressionless.

"Him," Brennan said pointing to Mr. Cool-As-A-Cucumber.

"You are under arrest for the kidnapping over 26 children and the murder of 12," Booth said as he arrested the man Brennan pointed to, "You have the right to remain silent anything you say will be used against you in the court of law."

One of the thugs looked at Brennan with a confused look on his face and asked, "How did you know it was him who recruited the rest of us?"

Brennan smiled, "We didn't until just now."

The thug looked horrified at what he had done.

The Childnapper case was solved.

Joe gave Booth and Brennan time off for solving the biggest case of the decade but they would have taken that time off anyway. They wanted to spend times with their daughter.

The three of them went on a world cruise. Booth and Brennan were trying to show Patience the wonders of the world so she wouldn't dwell on her kidnapping which they felt responsible for.

But they had nothing to worry about because Patience wasn't dwelling on her kidnapping at all. She was happy to finally know what her parents did for a living. She was proud to be their daughter.

The years went by and Patience grow up. She graduated from high school a year early and at the top of her class. She didn't take a year off to explore the world however because she already knew exactly what she wanted to be when she grow up. She wanted to be a cop.


End file.
